Notre Amour
by anan0maly
Summary: AU Sydney and Vaughn meet under completely different and unusual circumstances. No Spies.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Notre Amour

**Author:** Nikki (Agent Riss)

**Rating:** PG-13 – M

**Pairing:** Sydney/Vaughn

**Summary:** AU. S/V Meet in a completely different way.

**Disclaimer:** Alias and its cast, writers etc do not belong to me… and will never.

**Author's Note:** This was started back in 2004 and is still a WIP. This essentially started out a PG fic but gradually grew to an NC17. I have de-smutified parts and they are now more suitable for the PG readers. If you would like to read the NC17 chapters, you can make your way to and search for me under my username: Agent Riss and the links are in my signature.

Prologue:

The click of the door handle opening attracted her attention from the view outside the window beside her. She slowly turned her head towards the sound, her soft brown hair brushing against her shoulders and back as each strand moved with her.

Students hushed as many noticed his presence, but others continued on their conversations as if the arrival of the new teacher was less important than who dyed whose hair on Thursday night after the bowling alley party that Jimmy threw up at.

She sat quietly contemplating him; the way he gripped the leather handle on his briefcase, the way his right hand curled around his Starbucks styrofoam coffee cup, the way his tie hung looser than the other male staff, she studied his face from his green expressive eyes that showed apprehension and doubt, to his clean shaven jaw.

Her eyes were trained on him, moving only when he did. She didn't even think about the way he might feel her watching him, or the way people might notice she was watching him considerably more intent than others.

She felt a small hand tap her on the shoulder and she found herself jumping slightly in her seat with the shock of being interrupted. She turned her head slightly, her eyes falling away from his form. A folded piece of paper landed on her desk; a note.

He had felt a pair of eyes trained on him the second he'd stepped foot in the classroom. He felt them continue to roam over his body, from his hands to his face. He knew whoever was staring so intently could see his self-doubt, his anxiety about the situation. With his back towards the class he felt her eyes drop away, probably losing interest, he'd thought, and the emptiness he'd felt without that person's stare startled him. He breathed in slowly preparing himself for his first lesson as an English teacher.

Picking up a piece of chalk in his left hand, he rolled it between his fingers, the weight and texture he thoroughly felt. He familiarised himself with the stick before lifting his arm and resting his hand on the board.

And he felt it again, the staring. This stare held sorrow. He wasn't sure what caused it but its comfort was back and in his mind, he knew he was already in trouble.

She'd slowly opened the note and found a caricature staring back at her. A girl with exaggerated ears and forehead sat drooling at a desk, her eyes trained on the teacher, a pool of drool at her feet. The teacher had 'Starbucks Man' written across the back of his jacket, chalk stains on his pants and unruly hair. The top of the page read: "Sydney Bitch-tow – Dream on!"

She'd been the butt of many jokes; tricks included. Each one she took to heart, each one pulling her deeper and deeper inside her shell. She folded it back up and slid it into her folder before looking up at the new teacher once again, this time with sadness weighing down on her heart.

As he finished with his name, he turned and faced the class, his eyes glancing at her for the briefest of moments.

"Good morning. I'm Mr Vaughn and I am replacing your English teacher Miss Gibson, indefinitely. So, if someone could be so kind as to tell me where you're up to, then we can get started."

They didn't know it yet, but for Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn, their lives had just taken an interesting turn.


	2. Chapter 1: An Interesting Meeting

**Part One:**

The class was silent at his request.

"Well?" Michael asked again, this time leaning back against the edge of his desk. He stared at a few students willing someone to answer him.

The class remained silent, still.

Michael's hesitancy grew a little. "You realise, that if we continue the class like this, then we'll have to make it up, say, in your lunch hour?" He reasoned while folding his arms across his chest giving an appearance of no tolerance.

A smirk appeared on Sydney's face. She didn't mind either way what would happen. She didn't have many people to spend the lunch hour with anyway.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the brown-haired girl smirk. "How about you? Are you willing to share with me where you are up to in 'MacBeth'?" Michael asked pushing himself up and walking towards her desk.

"Sir? She doesn't talk." A girl called out from the other side of the class.

Michael's head shot up and over to the girl who'd shouted and back down to the brunette in front of him. What he found when he looked down was her copy of MacBeth opened to the first page of Act III, Scene 1.

Startled, he stumbled over his words. "Uh, thanks. Um, everyone open up to Act three, scene one." He said glancing down at Sydney once more before walking over to his briefcase to retrieve his copy.

Throughout the remaining half-hour of class, Michael kept one eye on the brunette in the front row and one on the rest of the class. Only listening to his students with half an ear, he realised he didn't even know her name and he was already intrigued by her.

Being distracted beyond belief, it was only by the loud giggling and laughing that had told him class was over and he still had a few more that day. He quietly watched as his students left the classroom in pairs or larger groups. The last to leave, alone, was the brunette in the front row. As she rounded out of the classroom a folded piece of paper slipped out of the folder she held at her side. He quickly snatched it up off the ground intending to return it to her, but when he looked up, she was already lost in the swarm of pubescent teens racing to their next class.

He unfolded the note and was faced with his first caricature. He slipped the note into his briefcase as the first students of his next class tumbled inside.

It wasn't until 4:30 that afternoon that Michael Vaughn was able to leave school. As he packed up his briefcase and rubbed the board, ridding it of his last class's notes, he picked up his briefcase and headed out the door towards the staff parking lot.

"Good afternoon Michael." Sarah the receptionist called out as he walked past the admin area.

"Have a good night Sarah." He called out sending a small wave and a grin in her direction.

Making his way through the front doors he spotted his car surrounded by other staff cars and a lone figure sitting near the exit gate, head buried in a book. He slowly walked towards his car parked only a few metres away from the lone figure.

Approaching the boot of his car he recognised the figure as the brunette from the front row of his first English class. Walking around to the driver's side of the car, he placed his briefcase on the back seat. After closing the door he walked round the car and towards the exit; towards her.

"Um, do you need a ride?" He asked as he cautiously approached her.

Sydney whipped her head up at the intrusion. She'd been so enthralled in her book that she hadn't even noticed him at his car or heard his footfalls as they approached her.

Her eyes widened in recognition as they fell upon his green ones.

"You can just shake your head yes or no." He offered with a small smile.

She looked up at him confused for a few seconds before realising he'd asked her if she'd like a lift. That was a definite no. She shook her head vehemently before burying her nose back into her book.

Taken aback by the nature of her decline, he mentally shrugged his shoulders before returning back to his car. He glanced back at her once more before entering his car and driving past her through the exit.

As she'd buried her head in her book once again, she watched discreetly as his tall form moved along the cement parking lot towards his car. She averted her eyes before he took a glance back at her. But as he settled in his car and drove out of the parking lot heading for home, she watched him until his car was no longer visible to her anymore.

Michael pushed the door open to his three bedroom, two-story home. He heard the scuffle of feet coming from the lounge area and childish giggling before a loud and high-pitched "DADDY!" was heard.

Michael quickly dropped his briefcase just in time to hold his arms out to catch his son as he barrelled him over.

"I missed you today." Michael said holding his son tight to his chest.

"Miss too." His son replied snuggling his head in the crook of Michael's neck.

Standing up while keeping his son in the embrace he spotted a figure standing near the lounge room entrance. "He was ok right?" He asked, hope blaring in his eyes.

"Of course… He wanted his daddy for a little while earlier but he was ok after his nap." The person replied.

"Thank you so much Becca. Sorry I was a bit late." Michael said apologising whole-heartedly.

"Don't worry about it. You know I love Matty. Plus, the money's great." Becca said with a grin as she walked up to the pair and kissed Matty on the head before grabbing her coat and slipping her arms inside. "I'll be here at 8:00am tomorrow. Try to be ready this time." And with that she was out the door with a grin and a wave and in her car jet-setting off down the quiet street.

After laying Matty down to sleep later on that evening, Michael sat at his desk organising the next day's lessons. Reaching blindly into his briefcase, his fingers stumbled across the folded note that had fallen out of the brunette's folder that morning.

"I have got to stop calling her 'the brunette'." Michael said to himself as he began to re-open the note that held the caricature.

It was the image of the girl drooling that had caught his attention first. Her enormously large ears and the pool of drool at her feet amused him only slightly. He noticed the elongated forehead and he was offended. Being one that had a particularly larger forehead than most, he took offence. He looked at himself and noticed the chalk stains on his pants and the coffee mention on his back and an idea struck him, but he held onto it until he had inspected the caricature further.

His eyes slowly rolled over the paper, the title attracting his attention. 'Sydney Bitch-tow – Dream on!' Michael frowned at the last name the artist had given her. Curious as to her real surname he reached for the papers in his briefcase searching for the class list of the seniors in his first class. Pulling the class list into view he scrolled the first few names locating a Sydney Bristow. After further inspection he deduced that she was the only Sydney and therefore it was certain that Bitch-tow was Bristow.

Michael pondered all the information he'd gathered so far. The note fell out 'the brunette's' folder, but it was certain she didn't draw it and the name on the note was of a Sydney and the only Sydney that was in his first period English class was Bristow. "This girl is a mystery." Michael said out loud now having possibly learnt her name, before shaking his head.


	3. Chapter 2: Our Free Hearts Each To Other

**Part Two:**

"Honey! If you don't hurry up, you're going to be late!" Laura Bristow yelled from the bottom of the stairs struggling to keep hold of the bundle of arms and legs of a two year old.

"I'm coming mom!" Sydney yelled as she slammed her bedroom door shut and came running down the stairs. Rushing past her mother into the kitchen and grabbing a banana, she pivoted and planning a quick exit, her mother successfully thwarted it with a hand on her arm holding her back.

"Don't we get goodbye kisses?" Her mother asked with a grin. Sydney rolled her eyes in response before leaning forward placing a kiss on her mother's cheek. Pulling back she reached forward to take hold of the squirming girl. She hugged the girl and placed a kiss on the young girl's forehead. "Love you." She whispered gently handing the girl back to her mother. "Bye Abby. I'll miss you." Sydney said running her fingers through the girls light brown hair. "Bye mom." She said with a sad smile facing her mother before quickly leaning in and placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Have a good day." Her mother called as Sydney made her way to the front door. "Bye." Sydney replied once more with a small wave before opening the front door.

"Bye Ma." Abby called out after her. Sydney turned with a grin on her face before closing the door behind her and heading off for school that morning.

"Bye bye daddy." Matty said hugging Michael around the neck tightly and planting a slobber-filled kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks Bec, I'll be home around five again. Sorry." Michael apologised to Becca who was taking hold of Matty as Michael picked up his briefcase. "Bye Matty. Daddy'll miss you." Michael said kissing his son on the forehead.

"Matty come wiv you?" Matty asked hope shining in his eyes.

Michael, feeling horrible replied, "Not today buddy. How about we go to the park tomorrow afternoon? Just us." Michael suggested fumbling with his car keys.

"We go park?" Matty asked, a serious expression adorning his face.

"Yep. Tomorrow." Michael replied with a ruffle of Matty's hair.

"Bye Michael." Becca said pushing Michael out the door when she noticed he was already ten minutes late.

"Sorry… Thanks!" Michael yelled on the way to his car.

Class that morning was much the same as the day before. Michael called on a few students to take the parts of the characters in Shakespeare's _'MacBeth'_. He'd periodically interject with questions, establishing an understanding of what his students knew and their limitations. He'd noticed though, when he asked a question to the class, the brunette he now called Sydney, would write down a few lines and then continue to stare out the window until students began reading from the play again.

"Can someone tell me what happened to MacBeth in that scene? Uh – ACT III, scene 4?" Michael asked as he checked the pages in his copy.

Waiting for an answer Michael turned his back to the class and headed towards the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk to record some answers down.

There was silence for a few second and with his left hand poised in the air he turned his head to the left to look t a few students on the left-hand side of the room, where Sydney was.

"He eats dinner?" A boy called out from the back row. A few giggles were heard from the left hand side of the classroom, and out of the corner of Michael's eye he saw Sydney roll her eyes before writing something down in her folder.

"You're right. He did have dinner. But, what happened during that dinner?" Michael asked turning to face the class waiting for an appropriate and correct answer.

"That dead guy comes to eat dinner with them." A girl said from the middle row.

"Does anyone know his name?" Michael asked trying to get them to give him more.

"Who cares?" A boy mumbled from the second row.

Michael put his chalk down and stood in front of the class. "What's your name?" Michael asked the boy.

"Adam." The boy replied, a smirk on his lips.

"Adam, what do you want to do when you get out of here?" Michael asked, holding his hands together in front of his lap.

"I'm trying for a football scholarship of course!" Adam exclaimed as if Michael's question was absurd. Adam looked around the classroom sharing his 'well duh!' expression with his friends.

"Oh! So, what do you think the College's will say when they see you failed English because you didn't care?" Michael asked in a conversational tone.

Adam didn't reply. Snickering was heard from a few rows back.

Michael watched Adam for a few seconds before addressing the class again. "Now, who can tell me his name?"

"Banquo." A girl said from the front of the room.

"Thank you. You are?" Michael asked in an effort to at least learn a few names today.

"Anna." She replied with a sceptical look.

"Thanks." Michael said smiling before turning on his heel and heading back to the blackboard. "So, if Banquo's ghost appears at the banquet that MacBeth is hosting, what does that tell us about MacBeth and this scene?" He asked, facing the class readying himself to write down some of the answers again.

He watched as Sydney began scribbling down again in her folder. As he waited for an answer he slowly walked towards her desk.

"Banquo was hungry?" A blonde girl at the back suggested.

"Uh – good guess, but it's wrong… anyone else want to give it a try?" Michael asked as he reached Sydney's desk and began reading what she was writing. His green eyes flew over each word that she was writing, following her hand as it gripped the pen gently. Surprised by her knowledge of the play and its characters, Michael was beginning to become increasingly fascinated by this girl. "Could I read this out?" He asked once she finished her paragraph.

Sydney's eyes widened in shock as she realised how close Mr Vaughn was to her. She jumped back a little at the invasion of personal space before nodding her consent. She flicked the binder open and pulled the sheet of paper out handing it over to him. "Thanks." He said with a grin.

Hiding her blush, Sydney kept her head lowered, her eyes trained on her folder.

Michael stood in front of her desk as he began to read her answer out loud. "In act III, scene IV, MacBeth hosts a banquet in his castle where upon settling down to feast with his guests, the ghost of Banquo, the friend he had murdered appears before him. MacBeth is feeling strongly the guilt of murdering Banquo and as an outlet for this guilt he projects the image of his dead friend in his mind's eye, successfully bringing his guilt up to the surface and making himself appear 'mad' to his guests, who then begin to question their new King's sanity. This scene is a turning point in the play as it is the beginning of MacBeth's downfall and eventual death." Michael finished reading with a smile. "I like the use of inverted commas." He praised with a gentle and comforting smile that caused her stomach to do a flip-flop.

Michael continued to smile down at Sydney before returning her work back to her. Turning, he addressed the class. "Homework is to read the rest of ACT III and write down a five hundred word response on the techniques used in the scene with the witches and on MacBeth's change in character after the last act." And as he finished, the bell rang and groans of disapproval were plentiful.

"Could you stay back just for a few minutes?" Michael asked Sydney softly as he watched the rest of the class file out rapidly.

Sydney just nodded before returning her focus back to packing up her belongings.

'Finally.' Michael thought as he exhaled. He watched as the last of his students left the classroom, the door closing tightly behind them. "Do you have class now?" He asked as he took a seat at the desk next to hers. He turned it around to face her, in an effort to make her feel more comfortable around him.

Sydney shook her head in the negative.

Michael nodded. "I was wandering if we could talk for a little bit. I have a class next and only a few minutes before they come charging but there were a few things I wanted to ask you." He said hoping that she wouldn't refuse.

Sydney slowly nodded her head agreeing with a visible degree of uncertainty.

"Good." Michael said with a smile. "I just, you're Sydney Bristow right?" He asked.

A nod was the response he received.

"I thought you might be. Um – do you like English?" He asked trying to stick to 'yes' or 'no' questions.

Another nod.

"I noticed your language was a bit more advanced than the others in the class, as well as your knowledge of the play."

Sydney just stared.

"Right, that wasn't a question." Michael mumbled to himself as he ran a hand through his hair messing it up more than it already was.

The corner of Sydney's lips curled slightly at his mumbling.

"Would you be willing to do more work on the side for extra credit?" Michael asked. But before she could give an answer he continued on. "What I mean is that, I'll be setting some more homework tasks like tonight's for the rest of the week as I'm setting a practice assessment task next week. It's just mainly to help me to establish where everyone is in relation to the understanding of Shakespeare and their use of the English language as well. If you'd like to do extra credit work, then we'll see how you do in the test and discuss it after that. How about it?" Michael asked again.

Sydney sat, staring blankly at Michael for a few seconds. If she took the extra credit it might mean less time with Abby, but it could possibly allow her enough credit for a scholarship at UCLA and possibly a better future for Abby. If she didn't take the offer up, she'd be able to spend more time with Abby, but her chances of a scholarship were limited. She needed time, and guidance.

Noticing her hesitancy in accepting the offer, he gave her a little relief. "You don't have to give me an answer right now, you can think about it and like I said, when we get your test score back, we can discuss it further if you're still interested."

Sydney nodded, this time a small smile gracing her lips. Thinking the conversation was over; Sydney began to pick up her things.

"Do you ever talk?" He asked suddenly, catching Sydney off guard.

She slowly turned her head to look at Mr Vaughn and she felt herself shake her head 'yes'.

"You're not going to talk in this class are you?" Michael asked looking up at her, his eyes holding an emotion she couldn't decipher.

She stared into his impossibly green eyes and shook her head 'no'. She stood still for a more seconds waiting for him to say something, anything. When he didn't she began to leave. His voice stopped her.

"Are you ever going to talk to me?" He asked, his eyes expressing the hope he was feeling that she would one day speak to him.

She stared at him for a few seconds before walking out of the classroom without a backwards glance.

Michael watched as she quietly left. He was elated with her answer. She hadn't said no, but she also hadn't said yes, he reasoned.

"Damn."


	4. Chapter 3: An Offer Not To Refuse

**Part Three:**

Sydney made her way slowly up the path to her front door. She slid her key in the lock and turned it, pushing the door open and stepping inside. This was her safe haven. Nobody could hurt her here. No one could get to her. Just her parents, herself and Abby lived here. It was all she needed.

Closing the door behind her she dropped her bag down against the hall wall before quietly making her way through the house to the kitchen where she could hear giggling and smell freshly baked chocolate-chip-cookies.

"Smells great!" Sydney exclaimed taking her jacket off and hanging it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs.

"Momma!" Abby yelled with excitement as she waddled her way over to her mother with outstretched arms. Sydney quickly bent down; her arms open wide, inviting her daughter into their warmth. Enveloping Abby in a hug and lifting her up as Sydney stood back up, she kissed her daughter's cheek. "Miss you." Abby said with a sad face.

"I know honey, but guess what? Mommy did all of her work and she has the whole afternoon free to play with you." Sydney said with a big grin and a kiss on Abby's forehead.

"Play wiv me?" Abby asked, her eyebrows shifting higher on her forehead and a smile gracing her face.

"Yep!" Sydney said, her smile still in place. Looking up, past her daughter's head she spotted her mother sliding the freshly baked cookies off the tray and onto a plate. "Hi Mom." She greeted.

"How was school?" Her mom asked with a smile as a hello before placing the plate of cookies on the table.

Sydney pulled one of the chairs out and sat down, Abby in her lap. "You know my new English teacher?" Sydney asked as she reached for a cookie. She broke it in half and then one half she broke again. She blew on it a few times to cool it before offering the small piece to Abby.

"Mr Vaughn right?" Laura asked. She walked over to the fridge and took out the bottle of milk and poured two glasses for Sydney and herself and a bottle for Abby. Handing the bottle over to Sydney, Laura then grabbed the two glasses of milk and set them on the table.

"Yeah. He offered me a chance to do extra credit for English." Sydney said helping Abby to have a sip of the milk from her bottle.

"That's wonderful Sydney. Your father will be so pleased." Laura said. She took a cookie off the plate and broke a small piece off. She looked at her daughter who had gone quiet and wore her father's patent pensive face. "What's wrong?"

Sydney glanced at her mother before looking down at her daughter again. She brushed some of her daughter's soft curls on her head before looking back up at her mother. "It's just, I wont be able to spend as much time with Abby and I already spend limited time with her. It's just going to be harder if I do the extra credit. But if I do take up his offer, than I could have a better chance at a scholarship for college and then that would make it easier on both you and dad and in the long run, Abby. I just – I don't know." Sydney finished, her cheek now resting softly on her daughter's head.

Laura studied her daughter carefully for a few seconds. "How long have you got until you decide?" She asked.

"About two weeks."

"Does Mr. Vaughn know about Abby and your hesitancy about accepting?" She asked taking a sip of her milk.

"He doesn't know about Abby, but he knows I wasn't sure about the offer."

Laura thought for a few seconds. "I think that you should wait it out for the next two weeks, see how you feel then and if you decide yes, you know that your father and I will be here with Abby and if you say no, that's ok too. You know, your father and I will be here to support you in whatever decision you make."

Sending a grateful smile in her mother's direction Sydney replied, "Thanks Mom."

In return, Laura placed her hand over Sydney's that rest on the table.

After a few moments of silence, Sydney broke it. "So Abbs? Ready to go play? Want to play with your toys upstairs?" Sydney asked her daughter.

Sydney spent the better part of the afternoon and night playing with her daughter, reading books to her and singing nursery rhymes as Sydney gave her a bath.

"Come on, one more spoonful." Sydney said as she kept an eye on her daughter who was extremely successful in smothering her face with her dinner. She wondered how much Abby even got into her stomach.

Abby took a spoonful and finished her dinner. "Let me wipe your face and then it's off to bed with you." Sydney said as she grabbed a damp cloth and wiped Abby's face clean of dinner. Picking her daughter up and placing the dirty cloth on the bench top to put in the wash, Sydney walked around the dinner table towards her mother. "Say goodnight to grandma." Sydney said.

"Goo-nye gra-ma." Abby said reaching out to giver Laura a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Good night sweetie. See you tomorrow." Laura said placing a kiss on Abby's head.

Sydney carried Abby to Jack to repeat the same process. "Goodnight my mini-munchkin." Jack said with a tickle under her chin, eliciting a giggle from the girl.

"I'll be back down soon to help with the dishes." Sydney said as she began to make her way upstairs.

"Don't worry honey, I've got them." Jack called out to her.

Sydney smiled as she carried her tired daughter up the stairs. Once reaching the second story, she made her way down the hallway and pushed open a door with her foot. The door opened up to a large room that seemed to be divided in two. Half of the room was dedicated to baby toys and necessities and the other half held a double bed, a desk, a wardrobe and photos that adorned a mirror.

Sydney made her way to the cot that sat near the far wall underneath the window. Lowering her daughter into the crib, she pulled the baby blanket over her and watched as her tired daughter rubbed her eyes and yawned. Sydney reached down into the crib and with her index finger began to lightly stroke the bridge of her nose, creating a calming and soothing effect that Abby fell instantly asleep too. Sydney stood watching her daughter for a few more minutes before turning on the night-light that was near her daughter's crib. She walked over to her desk and switched the lamp on and turned the top light off. Sydney settled down into her desk chair for a long night of homework.

Around 9 o'clock that night Jack Bristow gently knocked on the open door, hoping not to scare his daughter or awaken his granddaughter. Sydney looked up from her English homework to acknowledge her father's presence.

"Your mother and I are heading off for bed." Jack said entering the room slightly.

"Oh, ok. Night." Sydney said with a tired smile.

"Why don't you go to bed? You look exhausted. Your mom said that you'd already finished your homework." Jack said walking over to sit on the end of her bed.

Sydney turned around in her seat to look at her dad. "I have to finish off some stuff for English, then I'm done." She said, her fingers playing with the pen in her right hand.

"Ah yes, a congratulations is in order." Jack started, but at his daughter's look he continued on, "I know you haven't accepted or declined, but just being offered is an honour." Jack said as he stood up and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Good night." He said and left, closing the door a little for her own privacy.

"Night."


	5. Chapter 4: Do You Know Sydney Bristow?

Part Four:

Lunch rolled around the next day and Michael found himself sitting at a table with various other staff members trying to distinguish between the mashed potatoes and mashed peas. Although both generally are different colours, today they seemed to be a light shade of brown with a little yellow mixed.

"Is this safe?" Michael asked the guy next to him.

"Well, let's see… I'll take a bite and if I die, then no." The guy said with a grin and quickly shoved his fork into Michael's food stealing a great big dollop. Shoving it into his mouth he chewed for a little bit and just as he swallowed, he began making choking sounds and grabbing his neck.

"I'm dy-ing." He croaked out.

Michael smiled and rolled his eyes. "Thanks for stealing my lunch. I'm Michael Vaughn. The new English Teacher." Michael said offering the guy his right hand.

"Eric Weiss. Cheerleading Coach." Eric said with a grin.

"Excuse me?" Michael asked, his brows furrowed, wrinkles appearing on his forehead.

"I'm kidding. I teach the cooking classes." He replied with a toothy grin.

Michael smiled at him. "I sure hope your cooking looks better than this." He replied.

"Much." Eric said with a grin.

They chatted quietly as other staff held their own conversations. Midway through the conversation though, Michael got distracted by a lone figure sitting beneath a tree, head buried in a book.

"Hey… Mike! Earth to Mickey." Eric said while waving a hand in front of Michael's face. Only then did Michael flinch.

"Sorry. What were you saying?" Michael asked, his eyes still trained on whom he now knew as Sydney.

"I don't think what I have to say is more important than what you're staring at." Eric said folding his arms on the table and leaning towards Michael in a hope to see what he was seeing.

"Do you know a Sydney Bristow?" Michael asked, his eyes still watching intensely as she turned the page in her book.

"Sydney Bristow? I know her, very intelligent girl, doesn't say much." An old woman said from across the table. "Gladys Burns." The woman said as way of introduction. "American History."

"Michael Vaughn, English." Michael replied with a smile.

"Word is that she moved here from LA a few months ago because of some family crisis. She got here and hasn't spoken a word." A slightly overweight, balding man wearing a tracksuit said before shoving his bread roll in his mouth. "Pete Gunner. Phys Ed. I've seen that girl do a hundred push-ups in less than ten minutes and get up and kick box for an hour. She's amazingly athletic." Pete continued, his voice full of admiration and wonder.

Michael had hoped someone may have been able to deliver more information on her to quench his desire to find everything out about her. But it was a futile attempt, the more he heard, the more intrigued he was. She was an enigma and now he knew he had to learn everything there was about her.

"So, you wanna play ice hockey this arvo?" Eric asked as he forked another forkful of mashed potatoes and peas into his mouth.

Michael answered distractedly. "I can't. I promised I'd take my son to the park."

"You have a son?" Eric asked, eyes wide. "How old are you?" Realising how rude he was being he quickly tried to rectify the situation. "Sorry. That was extremely rude of me. You don't have to answer. Of course, if you want to, I'll definitely listen to anything you have to say. I mean, we all lead diff-"

"Eric?" Michael said grabbing his attention.

"Yeah?" Eric said stopping mid sentence.

"You're rambling." Michael said with a smile.

"Yeah. Sorry." Eric said and with that he quickly looked down at his lunch and continued to eat in silence.

"We can play hockey another day." Michael offered with a friendly slap on the shoulder just before he got up to dispose of his tray and head to the front desk to call home and see how Matty was doing.

"Matty, I'm going to sit on that bench right there ok?" Michael told his son who was currently pre-occupied with the bucket of sand he was tipping over on his pants.

"Bye." Matty said as he began to pour more sand into the bucket to tip over on himself again.

Michael shook his head with a smile and headed off for the bench closest to the sandpit. He took a seat near the middle and leant forward, resting is forearms on his jean-clad thighs. Michael watched his son playing by himself for a few minutes before a little brown-haired girl wobbled over to the sandpit with a big grin; her dimples exposed for all to see.

He watched as the little girl sat down next to Matty and they began to play together. He thought of how easy it was to be a kid again. It didn't matter who you played with, you didn't care if you got wet or dirty, someone was always there to love you and take care of you. It was so much easier. Fights were over who had the spade first and who got which toy for their birthday. As an adult, fights were over bills and child custody and who slammed their car into whose. Adulthood seemed so much easier than it looked when he was just a teenager.

Michael's thoughts were interrupted though by a woman taking the seat next to him on the bench.

"What a day." She said with a smile showing her exhaustion.

"I know what you mean." Michael replied with his own smile.

"Which one is yours?" The woman asked kindly as she averted her eyes from the child she was watching for a second or two.

"Oh, the little boy in the sandpit." Michael replied with a grin as he watched Matty share the sand he had in his bucket with the little girl.

"Really? That's my granddaughter he's playing with." The woman replied, her excitement and happiness shining through in the tone of her voice and the smile beaming on her face.

Michael glanced back at the woman, a little startled at how young the woman was. She only looked to be in her early forties. Michael refrained from commenting but the woman caught his expression.

"I know I look young to be a grandmother. I'm only forty-four. Abigail, that's my granddaughter, her mother, my daughter, is still quite young. But, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank God for giving us Abby." Laura Bristow said her eyes constantly trained on Abby.

"Sorry. I hope you didn't think I was prying." Michael started. "I actually got the same look I gave you, at lunch today. Sorry."

Laura waved her hand as if to forget about it. "I love being a grandmother and I'm not ashamed of my daughter or Abby."

Michael nodded his head in response before training his eyes back on his son.

"I'm Laura." The woman stretched her hand out for him to shake.

"Michael." He replied as he shook her hand softly. "And that is my son Matthew."

"He looks like you." Laura said as she studied the little boy.

"Thanks." Michael said as he glanced down at his watch. "Damn." He whispered. He needed to get back home. He was waiting for a call from his mother at 4:30 and it was already a quarter past. "It was really nice meeting you but I have to be going, I'm waiting for my mother's phone call." Michael said as way of explanation before standing up off the bench and stretching his arm out for her to shake his hand.

"Ah." Laura said with a knowing smile as she took his hand in her own. "Never leave your mother waiting." She continued with a grin.

"I try not to." Michael said with a grin as he remembered what happened the last time he wasn't home when she called. Walking over to Matty, he bent down.

"Alright Matty, Grandma is going to be calling soon and it's time for you and I to get home. Say goodbye to Abby." Michael said as he re-tied one of Matty's shoelaces.

"Bye Yabby." Matty said before leaning over and planting a kiss on Abby's cheek, which caused her to giggle.

"Bye Abby." Michael said as he picked up Matty and tried to brush the sand off of him. Abby waved in response before returning back to her fascination with the sand.

Michael passed Laura once more as she still sat on the bench. "Bye. It was nice meeting you." He said with a genuine smile.

"Bye." Matty said with a small wave.

"Bye Michael." Laura said before she stood up off the bench and went to retrieve Abby as Sydney was going to be home soon.

"Come on Abby, Mommy's going to be home soon." Michael heard Laura say to her granddaughter before he left the park.


	6. Chapter 5: Mother Knows Best

Part Five:

"Yes Mom." Michael said with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm not rolling my eyes at you." He said masking his surprise at the fact she knew exactly what he was doing.

"Mom!" Michael exclaimed only mildly frustrated.

"No Mom."

"Just because."

"But I'm not teaching English at this very moment am I?" Michael asked as he slid the phone between his ear and shoulder. He reached up above his head for a pair of shorts and t-shirt for Matty.

"The school is good mom." He said as he spotted his son streak down the hallway heading for Michael's bedroom.

"Mom, can you hold on, Matty's running around the house naked." Michael said before setting the phone down on the shelf as Michael ran after Matty grabbing him just before he decided to play with Daddy' shaving cream. "Gotcha!" Michael said, a smile on his face as Matty giggled in his arms.

Michael carried him back to the phone and set him on the changing table as he reached over and grabbed the phone again, sliding it back into the crook of his neck. "Ok, back." He said to his mother. There was a pause as she spoke.

"My classes are fine."

"Yes, I'm enjoying it." Michael said as he pulled the t-shirt over Matty's head and started to thread his arms through the sleeves.

"Mom! The women on the staff are twice my age or grandmothers!" Michael said shaking his head at Matty who giggled.

Lifting Matty up and standing him up on the table, he held the shorts in front of him allowing Matty to grab onto his hair and take a step into his shorts and then the other leg.

"Look Mom, we've been talking for over an hour and I have a lot of work, and Matty to cook for. How about you come to visit next week?" He suggested as he pulled Matty's shorts up and carried him out of the room with him.

They travelled down the hallway and down the stairs and into the kitchen where Michael set Matty down on one of the chairs in his kiddie seat.

"Ok, You ring me when you've decided to come down." Michael said before saying goodbye and hanging up.

Letting out a breath he turned towards Matty. "You're grandmother is driving me nuts!"

"You nuts." Matty replied with a giggle and a grin, his own dimples showing.

"You're absolutely right. So, what do you want for dinner?" Michael asked placing the phone back on its charger.

"Pasghetti!" Matty yelled out with a thump of his fist on the tabletop.

"Spaghetti it is!" Michael said as he turned to the pantry to grab the pasta and begin dinner.

It was about two hours after Michael had put Matty to bed when he was marking his senior English class's homework. Just as he picked up the last one to mark he heard a whimper through the baby monitor sitting on his desk. He paused for a few seconds before he heard it again and quickly shot up out of his seat and dashed upstairs reaching Matty just as he started to cry.

Picking Matty up and holding him close to his chest, Michael soothed him with a warm hand rubbing up and down his back.

"You ok buddy?" Michael asked once he heard Matty's crying drop to a few sniffles.

"Love you." Matty whispered as he buried his head in his dad's neck.

Michael knowing he didn't want to leave his son by himself until he was sure he was going to be ok, carried Matty down to his study and held him close as he sat down at his desk to continue with his marking.

"You want to help Daddy mark homework?" Michael asked his son as he picked up the forgotten paper and a red pen.

Matty lifted his head a little and looked up at his dad. "You do work?" Matty asked.

"Yep." Michael answered with a nod and a smile.

Matty stared at him for a few seconds. "Bugger." He replied straight-faced.

A few seconds of silence occurred before Michael full out laughed at Matty. It took him a few seconds to compose himself before he addressed him. "I have to have a talk with Becca about the words you're using." Michael said with a laugh.

"Come on, we'll sit on the couch and mark homework." Michael said picking up a small stack of papers and walking over to the couch where he settled Matty down in his lap facing the last paper he was marking.

Glancing up at the name in the corner of the page he felt a wave of excitement wash over him. This was Sydney Bristow's homework. His eyes wandered over her curvaceous handwriting, appreciating the effort she had put in to make her work presentable.

"Now this, Matty, will hopefully be great work." Michael said to himself more than his son. With his red pen poised and ready to go, he began to read. When Matty grabbed the red pen out of his hand, Michael had distractedly let him have it. A few minutes later Michael lifted his hand up to write something on the paper and realised he no longer had the pen. He looked down at his lap where his son was sound asleep clenching the pen tightly in his left hand. Michael watched his son for a few moments before realising the artwork Matty had created on the second page of Sydney's homework.

"Oh crap." Michael said before releasing a sigh. "Oh well." Michael said as he pried the pen out of his son's hand to write Sydney a note.

Finishing the note with a shake of his head and a small smile he continued to mark the homework until he had finished. Yawning he held tightly onto his son before grabbing the marked papers off the floor and standing up. He made his way over to his briefcase and slid the papers inside. He switched off his lamp and made his way out of the office turning off the top light on his way out. As he reached the bottom of the stairs he remembered the baby monitor, but too tired to go back he slowly made his way up and into his room where he gently lay his son down and quickly stripped down to his boxers. He picked up Matty and with his free hand, he slipped the covers back and slid between the sheets. Resting Matty on his chest, he slid the top sheet and blankets over them and fell into a deep sleep.

"I marked your homework last night – some interesting responses, but I don't think MacBeth went to the witches to have a big massive orgy Kevin." Michael said as the class erupted in laughter.

"Alright. When I call your name, come forward and collect your work." Michael said as picked up the stack of homework. "Um, Adam?" Michael called out as he held the homework in his outstretched arm. Adam begrudgingly stood up and walked forward to collect his homework.

"Good work." Michael praised him, which put a smile on Adam's face.

"Kevin." Michael said holding his work out. Kevin hung his head as he took the paper out of Mr Vaughn's hand. "How about trying to think about things other than sex next time?" Michael offered.

"Um, Arabella?" Michael called out next. And through the papers he kept going until he reached Sydney's.

"Sydney?" Michael said as he held the paper outstretched. She quietly rose out of her seat and stepped forward. Just as she went to take the paper back, he held firmly onto it. "Uh, I left you a little note as you'll see there are some uh, inappropriate markings on the second page." Michael said with a blush as he let go of the paper.

Confused by what he meant Sydney walked back to her desk and looked over the paper. She saw a few 'excellent' and a 'good use of terminology' written but it wasn't until she looked at the top of the page that she noticed his note.

I'Sorry about the artwork on your homework, my son got a little carried away when I asked for his help with marking. – MV.'/I

'He has a son!' Sydney thought with surprise and a mix of feelings. She couldn't pick which she felt more; jealousy, admiration, giddiness.

With this in mind, she flipped the page over and saw scribble over her work. Abby had done the same thing on occasion and so with a small smile she checked over her work, reading his other notes. She laughed when she saw one of his notes directed at his son's drawing. 'I think it's supposed to be a dog. I think.'

The class went quiet at the sound of her laughter and quickly Sydney composed herself and slammed the paper on her desk and slid it into her folder and ducked her head trying to hide her blush.

Michael grinned to himself pretty certain that it had been him that had made her laugh.


	7. Chapter 6: Can I Please Corrupt Him?

Part Six:

"Ok, when you said… just, let me breathe." Eric said as he bent over and took in a few lung-fulls of oxygen. "When you said you liked hockey, you didn't say how much!" Eric said with a shake of his head and a few more deep breaths.

Michael laughed in response as he skated around Eric on the ice.

"Jesus. We need you on the staff team." Eric said as he slowly righted himself and started to skate towards the benches. "We play Eastgrove High in two weeks. You definitely need to play." Eric said settling himself down next to his gear and pulling out a bottle of water and gulping half it down in one breath.

"I'll think about it." Michael said taking a sip of his own water.

The sound of the door swinging open caught both their attention. Michael took another swig of his water as he saw Becca come into view, Matty hanging onto her hand.

"Daddy!" Matty yelled at the first sight of Michael. He instantly let go of Becca and wobbled his way over to Michael who caught him and threw him in the air.

"I missed you." Michael said as he planted a kiss on his son's forehead.

"Miss you too." Matty said with a squeeze of his arms around Michael's neck.

A clearing of throats broke Michael out of his pre-occupation with Matty. "Oh, Becca, this is Eric, he teaches cooking class at my school. Eric, that's Becca, and this here is Matty, my son." Michael said as introduction before catching the look that Eric was throwing his way and clearing up Eric's suspicions. "Becca is his nanny."

"Hi Eric." Becca said with a smile and a wave before addressing Michael. "Sorry Michael, I had to drop Matty off here, Alex rang, she's throwing up and I don't want to leave her by herself when she's sick." Becca explained.

"That's fine. Thanks for staying late today. I hope Alex gets better and I'll see you tomorrow." Michael said with a wave and a smile.

"Cya Mike." Becca said before dashing outside and leaving two grown men with an almost three-year-old.

There was silence for a few moments before Eric broke it.

"So, this is your son?" He asked as he tilted his bottle in the direction of Matty.

Michael nodded his head.

"Cute kid." Eric said with a grin. "As your new best-friend, can I corrupt him?"

Michael laughed and rolled his eyes. "You're horrible."

"Just a little?" Eric pleaded.

"No!" Michael said smiling.

"You're no fun honey." Eric replied with a huff and a high-pitched imitation girl voice.

Michael shook his head in response before setting his son down on the bench so he could continue to remove his gear.

"So, uh, Becca's his nanny?" Eric asked in a suggestive tone.

"She's gay." Michael answered as he heard the tone that Eric had been asking in.

"I wasn't inquiring because of me." Eric said holding his hands up in defence. Michael shot him a 'yeah right' look.

There was a pause before Eric continued, "Really?" Eric asked as he turned his head in the direction Becca had come and gone in.

"Yep." Michael said pulling his sweat soaked shirt off.

"Cool." Eric said nodding his head before taking another gulp of his water.

"Next week, I've planned an assessment task." Michael started but was interrupted by the many groans and moans from the class. "As I was saying, it will only be worth 5 of your final mark and it's more for me to see better your understanding of this topic."

"Do we have to?" Kevin asked with a groan.

"I'm sure there are many things you'd love to be doing with yourself in that time but yes, you have to." Michael replied. He began to walk down the aisles placing a sheet of paper on each desk. "I'm handing out your official notification of the assessment. It tells you which acts of the play you should be familiar with for the test."

"I hate English." A girl mumbled as Michael walked past her desk before letting her head fall forward with a thump.

"And yet, you use it everyday." Michael answered with a smirk.

"Recreationally." Another girl said from the next aisle over.

Michael grinned as he continued to hand out the notifications. "Alright, now we're going to discuss some of the themes of the play and how they relate to Shakespeare's characters."

"Fun." Adam muttered sarcastically, loud enough for the rest of the class to hear.

"Always." Michael replied.

Lunch had rolled around again that day and Michael found himself sitting with Eric and the other teachers again. This time though, Eric was introducing him as their new player.

"It's about time we had fresh meat." Gladys said punctuating what she was saying by pointing a chicken bone in his direction. Michael leant back in his chair.

"This season boys, I think we're going to win. And personally, I think it's about bloody time too!" Eric said with a grand gesture using his arms and flailing them about.

"You go girls!" Gladys yelled. The table stopped their chattering.

"Er – Gladys, we're guys." Pete pointed out.

"I know who has a penis and who doesn't, it's just that 'You go guys' doesn't sound right." Gladys said as she pointedly stared at Pete who sat across from her. Eric nudged Michael as they tried to hold their laughter.


	8. Chapter 7: Sydney, Matty, Matty, Sydney

Part Seven:

Already Friday had rolled around and Michael couldn't have been happier. A whole weekend to spend with Matty awaited him. He couldn't wait. He figured he understood the students' eagerness to get through their classes on Fridays even though they were for two different reasons.

Michael watched from behind his desk as the students of his first class came tumbling inside. He silently watched as they took their seats, each row slowly filling up with teen after teen, but soon the late bell rang and there was one empty seat; Sydney's.

This worried Michael, as she had seemed fine the day before, well at least she looked fine. He decided he'd check with the office to see if she'd called in about her absence if she didn't show up.

"Alright… now that we're all here, I thought I'd be nice to you and help you prepare for the test next week. So, get some pen and paper ready, we'll be writing notes." Michael said carrying a few sheets of paper together and walking around his desk on the side with the classroom doorway.

Just as he was about to begin, the door opened with a squeak and Sydney walked in, her head down hiding the blush that was rapidly climbing up her neck.

"Morning. You're just in time." He said as she stopped in front of him. Sydney handed him a note and just as he was about to read it the door burst open.

"Michael!"

'Oh my God.' Michael thought as he whirled around at the sound of the voice. "Becca!" Michael exclaimed. "Wait here." He said quickly to Sydney before turning back to Becca who was carrying Matty.

The class, funnily enough, was eerily silent.

"Daddy!" Matty yelled when he spotted Michael. He struggled out of Becca's arms and ran towards Michael who without thought picked him up.

"Miss you." Matty said with a squeeze around the neck.

"I'm sorry Michael but Alex… she – she's in hospital. I gotta go and be with her. I didn't know what to do. I just dropped everything at the house and grabbed Matty; I don't even have a diaper bag for him. I'm sorry. I drove right over." Becca said, her hand clenching and twisting around the handbag she had.

"Bec, calm down." Michael said. "Just, wait a second." Michael said before turning around and handing Matty over to a surprised Sydney. "Matty Sydney, Sydney Matty." Michael hurriedly introduced them before leaving the classroom and grabbing Becca as he left, the door still open.

"Becca… you can't drive like this. Here," Michael said as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and shoved sixty dollars in her hands. "Take this and grab a cab… I'm not letting you drive in this state." Michael said pushing her in the direction of the front doors.

"I'm sorry Mike. I didn't know what to do." Becca said with tears streaming down her face.

"Just call me and tell me how she is." Michael said just before she turned and ran towards the parking lot. "Shit." Michael mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair before heading back into the classroom.

Michael entered the classroom and was met by twenty-four staring pairs of eyes. "Ah, sorry about that. Looks like we have a new student today, my son, Matty." Michael said as way of introduction.

"Hi Matty." The class responded in a monotonous drone.

"Hi." Matty said with a hesitant smile and a small wave before hiding his head in Sydney's neck.

"Ok, back to what I was going to teach you earlier." Michael said as he took hold of his son from Sydney's arms. "I'll talk to you after class." He whispered to her before he watched her go back to her seat.

Michael picked up his papers again while he held Matty to his hip. He could do this. He only had another forty-five minutes left of class. He walked over to the classroom door ensuring that it was closed and Matty couldn't open it.

He returned to his standing position in front of the class and set Matty on the floor to roam the classroom.

Michael watched him for a few seconds before looking down at his notes. "Alright, the first Act, can anyone tell me about it? It's themes, what happened?"

As Michael continued with addressing his class, Matty began to wonder around. He started down one aisle and as he passed a kid with bright red spiky hair, Matty stopped and stood near him. "You hair red." Matty said with a grin. The boy grinned before returning back to his notes.

Losing interest Matty continued to roam the isles before he noticed Sydney sitting up the front on the left next to the window. He waddled his way over to Sydney at a fast pace stopping shortly when he noticed her head down. He walked slowly over to her left side and stood still about ten inches away from her. With an outstretched arm he softly touched her knee beneath the desk.

Sydney, who had been keeping an eye on Matty as he roamed the room out of instinct, knew that he was next to her. When she felt the lightweight of his touch on her knee she turned her head towards him with a small smile. She greeted him with a small wave with the hand that she had been resting her head on.

He gave her a grin and took a tentative step closer. Sydney sat up and moved back in her chair a little inviting Matty to come closer.

With more confidence, Matty took two more steps and reached his arms up for Sydney to pick him up. "Huggle?" Matty asked softly, his arms still outstretched and waiting.

Sydney with a grin reached out and picked Matty up placing him in her lap facing her. He sat back on her lap as his small fist reached up to touch her hair. His tiny fingers ran through a few strands that were hanging loosely by the side of her face. "Soft." He remarked with a smile before leaning forward and resting the side of his head against her chest, his arms wrapping themselves as far around her as possible.

With experience behind her, Sydney ran her hand through his hair slowly and softly as her other hand rubbed his back in the same methodical rhythm. Sydney tilted her head to the side to watch as Matty's eyes slowly drifted shut. With tenderness and love only in her heart she leant forward and kissed the top of his head.

Sydney quietly returned back to her notes with Matty still asleep in her lap. 'So, this is his son.' She thought to herself with a smile.

A few of the students had glanced in her direction a few times and some watched intently as she put the child to sleep, none knowing of the extent to which her experience exceeded.

Michael had seen it all from out of the corner of his eye. When Matty had reached up for a hug, it had amazed him so significantly, as Matty hardly did that with strangers, that he'd paused in the middle of his sentence. And when Sydney had picked him up and Matty hadn't protested, Michael couldn't help but wonder again, who this girl was. Sure he knew her name, but that was all he knew about her. Matty had voluntarily walked up to her, asked for a hug and then fell asleep to the soothing ministrations of Sydney's hands. Michael knew there was only one type of woman that could do that. A mother.

A feeling deep inside of Michael was brewing, but he tried desperately to ignore it, and so, he returned his focus back to the class and hoped that the day would end soon even though it had only begun.

The class came to an end when the bell went and students hurried around their desks to get out of the classroom faster.

Michael sighed with tiredness as he flipped his notes to the beginning and walked around his desk to put them back in his briefcase. He took out a pile of notes for his next class and closed his briefcase before putting it on the floor. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Sydney began to slowly and quietly pack her things, as Matty hadn't awoken with the noise the class had made when exiting.

Michael walked over to her and squatted down low so he was looking up at her.

"I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have had to look after him during class." Michael said apologetically as Sydney held on tightly to Matty before standing up and moving away from her desk a little. Michael followed suit and stood up and came closer to her. He reached his arms out to take hold of Matty but as Sydney started to hand him over, Matty became restless and clung to Sydney.

Michael stood shocked for a few seconds as he tried to gain his bearings. Matty wasn't usually like this. Not with Michael's mother, not even with Becca, who he spent most days of the week with.

"Um… He's never done this before. I'm so sorry. Becca, his nanny, well her girlfriend is in the hospital and that's why I have him." Michael started as he stroked his son's head as Sydney continued to hold him to her chest. "I don't know what to do. I've got another four classes today and I don't know anyone else that can take care of him." Michael said, the creases in his forehead making an appearance.

Sydney cleared her throat. As she readied herself to talk, Michael met her eyes and saw the offering there. And before she could even utter a word, Michael spoke. "I can't ask you to take him for the next period. That wouldn't be fair. Its your study period, you should go and study." Michael said as he reached out once again for his son. Sydney took a step back and held on tighter to Matty.

Michael's shocked expression met her eyes and before he could process what was happening, Sydney was carrying Matty to the back of the classroom to a seat in the far back away from everyone else. She took the seat and made herself comfortable and too scared to meet Michael's gaze she watched as Matty clung tighter to her and snuggled deeper as if trying to get as close to her as possible.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Michael asked as he began to pick up her folder and backpack and carry them down to her.

Sydney nodded her head, her gaze still fixed on the little boy in her arms.

"And there's no way I could make you reconsider?" Michael asked as he bent down to put her bag on the floor and her folder on the desk. Sydney shook her head 'no'.

"Fine." Michael said knowing it was no use getting into an argument when the other person wouldn't talk.

Sydney smiled at her small victory, her eyes only looking up when she knew Michael was walking to the front of the classroom.


	9. Chapter 8: Starting Young Aren't We?

Part Eight:

It was about halfway through Michael's grade eight English class that Matty began to stir. Feeling him twist a little in her lap and then snake his fist up to his eye to rub it, Sydney knew Matty was awake. Bending her head down she whispered to the young boy, "It's ok… Daddy's busy, do you want to go and play outside?" She asked softly.

The word 'Daddy' had felt odd falling off her tongue, only for the fact that she hadn't referred to someone as a child's father in a long time. Sure, she called her father 'daddy', but Abby's daddy was gone now and Sydney hadn't had to refer to anyone as Abby's 'daddy' since.

Matty, rubbing his face into her chest nodded his head.

"Ok. Let's go play outside." Sydney said as she carefully set him down on his feet on the floor, his small fists still rubbing his eyes.

Sydney stood up and pushed her chair in and tidied up her things before holding her hand out for Matty to hold. She felt his tiny hand in hers and she started across the back of the class and up the side wall towards the door, pausing for a moment, she caught Michael's eye and pointed outside so he had a rough idea what she was up to.

With his nod, she pushed the door open allowing for Matty to leave ahead of her. Quietly, she closed the door behind her leaving the staring eyes of the eighth graders behind. Holding onto Matty's hand, she headed towards the grass area about twenty metres away from Michael's classroom.

As they reached the grass Matty let go of Sydney's hand and raced towards one of the large trees. Falling to his knees at its trunk he began to dig up the dirt with his fingers. Sydney slowly made her way over to Matty, she took a few glances left and right making sure that other staff members weren't wandering the halls. She didn't want Mr. Vaughn to get into too much trouble.

Sydney crouched down beside Matty as he continued to dig up some dirt. She ran a hand through is soft hair and Matty looked up at her.

"What your name?" Matty asked with little difficulty. Too young to be able to multi-task, Matty stopped digging and sat down in front of Sydney.

Following suit, she stretched her legs out on the grass before answering his question. "I'm Sydney." She said.

"Oh." He said before looking down at he overalls.

"Dad take car." Matty said suddenly looking up at Sydney.

"Where did he take it?" Sydney asked with a smile. She absent-mindedly picked at the grass, each sliver running through her fingers.

"Dad take car work." Matty said with a grin before ripping some grass out much like Sydney and giving it to her.

"Thank you." Sydney said letting the grass Matty had given her slip through her fingers to the dirt ground.

"You Disney?" Matty asked before pushing himself up to a standing position and walking to her lap where he made himself comfortable.

With a laugh and a grin, Sydney replied, "Yeah, I'm Disney."

"Good." Matty replied letting his body fall forward into hers.

Sydney wrapped her arms around him for a few minutes before turning her left wrist to have a look at her watch. Noticing that the bell was going to ring in about ten minutes, Sydney picked Matty up and set him on his feet. Holding onto his dirt-smeared hand, she gently tugged him along in the direction of the toilets. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up and looking handsome for daddy." She said looking down at him as they took slow steps.

"Go potty?" Matty asked, his head turned up to look at her.

"Yep, we're going to the big potty." Sydney replied. They made their way to the girls' toilets; Sydney pushed the door open for Matty, allowing him to enter first. Walking behind him, Sydney grabbed his hand and led him to one of the stalls. Helping him to get undressed and holding him on the toilet, she remembered the first time Abby wanted to use the big potty. She'd fallen in, her legs sticking out of the toilet bowl. Although, worried at first, Laura and Sydney couldn't stop laughing about it later.

"Done." Matty said with a grin.

"Fantastic." Sydney replied as she helped clean him up and redressed him. After flushing the toilet she led him to the sinks where she lifted him up and sat him on the bench top. Reaching for some soap, she pushed the wall dispenser a few times taking a generous amount for herself and Matty. She helped him wash his hands with giggles and a mini-water fight that was quickly interrupted.

"Starting young are we Bristow?" A female voice said from behind her. Sydney looked up and into the mirror behind Matty's head. There stood Veronica Taylor, a red-head with frizzy long hair in a short, short skirt that Sydney was sure you'd be able to see what was underneath if Veronica only leant forward slightly.

Sydney ignored Veronica, returning her gaze back down to Matty. Picking him up and setting him on the floor, She grabbed some paper towels and helped him dry his hands and wipe his face.

She heard a puff of air being expelled and was certain it was the sound of Veronica getting fed up. She threw the paper towels away and led Matty out of the bathroom, her hand gripping his tighter than before.


	10. Chapter 9: Aun Fanny

Part Nine:

"I think it's a great idea. You should do it Sydney." The feminine voice said on the other end of the phone.

"I don't know. It'll be a lot of work." Sydney said as she took a seat at her desk facing Abby who was playing on her bed with some toys.

"Will was asked to do some as well. He doesn't have to turn up to English half the time now." The girl said.

"Really?" Sydney asked, lifting her leg up and resting her foot on the edge of her chair.

"Sydney, this is me. Francie. Would I lie to you?" There was a pause and before Sydney could respond, Francie cut in. "Ok, so I have on occasion told a little white lie. Let me stress to you a _white_ lie."

Sydney laughed. "You do realise your little white lie got me grounded for a week and my house was trashed and we had to get new carpet in the hall."

"I know, but come on, the bonfire inside was fun anyway, toasted marshmallows, Will's singed hair." Francie said with a grin that Sydney could hear through the phone line.

"Yeah I suppose." Sydney conceded.

"See! Anyway, if you don't have to go to English half the time, then you can get away from that awful Miss Gibson." Francie reasoned.

"She's left. Indefinitely." Sydney informed her.

"Oh. So you've got a new teacher?" Francie asked, a ruffling of paper was heard on Sydney's end.

"What are you doing?" Sydney asked with a giggle when she heard Francie swear.

"Trying to re-write some homework." Francie said quickly. "Back to your new teacher."

"Oh, Um, he's called Mr. Vaughn." Sydney said, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks although not really understanding why.

"You're blushing." Francie stated. "Why are you blushing?" She asked.

"I'm not blushing." Sydney snapped half-heartedly.

Francie was silent for a moment. "Fine. I'll let it drop for now. So, tell me about him. He nice? What does he look like?" Francie asked releasing a puff of air signifying her exasperation with what she was working on.

"He seems nice. He's tall; he has blondish-brown hair and green eyes and dimples. He likes Starbucks coffee and he seems passionate about English." Sydney started to rattle off.

"Is that all?" Francie asked sarcastically.

"Yep." Sydney said with a nod intentionally leaving out the little fact that he had a son. A very cute and adorable son.

"Right." Francie replied.

"What? I'm serious." Sydney replied with a grin.

"Whatever." Francie said before pausing briefly. "Hey, Will and I are coming down to visit. Probably in a couple of weeks. We're getting holidays before exams. You should be on holidays too. We'll come down for the first week. You know, check out your hood." Francie said with a grin.

"My hood?" Sydney asked with a giggle. "Who are you hanging out with now?" Sydney asked with a laugh.

"Fine. Let me rephrase it. We'll come and conduct a close inspection of the location in which you inhabit at this present time. How's that?" Francie asked rolling her eyes.

"Better." Sydney replied with a smile. "Anyway, I better go, I think Abby needs a nap before we go to the park."

"How is my niece?" Francie asked.

"She's doing ok. Mom takes her a lot to the park so you know, I think she's been making some friends. Do you want to speak to her quickly?" Sydney asked.

"Put her on. I miss her." Francie said excitement bubbling inside her.

"Sure hold on." Sydney said moving out of her seat and over to her bed where Abby yawned before looking up at her mommy.

"It's Aunt Francie Abby, you want to talk?" Sydney said offering the phone.

Abby's eyes lit up and she reached for the phone. "Aun Fanny!" Abby squealed over the phone. "Mom go school."

Sydney listened to her daughter's end of the conversation.

"Yep."

"Go park Mom."

"Bye," And with that Abby handed the phone back to Sydney.

"Hey." She said letting Francie know she was back on the phone.

"Aunt Fanny!" Francie screeched.

Sydney's mouth opened and laughter bowled forward.

"She still hasn't gotten rid of that?" Francie asked in mock anger.

"Sorry. I'll try and work on that before you get here." Sydney said, a few giggles passing through the line.

"You better." Francie said.

"Alright, I promise. Look I better go, she's about to fall asleep." Sydney said, and they quickly exchanged goodbyes just as Abby drifted off. Sydney carefully picked her daughter up and carried her to her crib for a nap.

Monday morning rolled around after an uneventful weekend for both Michael and Sydney.

Sydney sat in her designated seat at the front on the left and stared out the window. Students slowly filed in, each one looking worse than the next. 'Must have been a party on the weekend.' Sydney thought to herself when she turned to look at a few of her peers. The idea of getting drunk on a Saturday night with a bunch of people she didn't trust or know didn't appeal to her. She'd seen and experienced first hand what getting drunk could do to someone. She planned to stay away from alcohol for as long as possible.

The late bell rang and Sydney looked up at Mr. Vaughn's desk finding it surprisingly empty. She glanced up at the clock above the blackboard to see that it was already 9:07. Sydney felt disappointment but quickly squelched the feeling deep down inside her. She faked disinterest and turned to continue to stare out the window.

Seconds wore on and the minutes piled up. Sydney didn't have to look at the clock to know this; her classmates were already turning the classroom into a dance floor. Willy had pulled out a Discman and speakers that he plugged into the wall unit. She listened as each song was played, some of her male classmates trying to outdo each other with dance moves. Sydney reverted back inside herself, remembering a time when it had been that easy; to just forget about school, assessments and prospective colleges and dance and sing around a classroom. Finding there wasn't much point in dredging up the past and the present, it's difficulties in tact; Sydney opened the front pocket on her backpack to pull out her mobile. Hiding it beneath her desk she began to text message Francie.

'What are you in now?' Sydney sent.

'IT. U?' Francie replied.

'Eng. Waiting for Vaughn to get here.' Sydney sent back before glancing up at the clock to check the time. 9:12.

'Ah… Billie Cope just blew up a monitor. Gotta jet. Cya Babe xx' Francie replied hurriedly.

'Cya.' Sydney sent back.

Just as Sydney saw that her message went through, the classroom door opened and all sound ceased to exist. She looked up at the doorway to see Mr. Vaughn standing there with a frown on his face, wrinkles appearing on his forehead. "I'd like the classroom back to the way it was before you decided to re-model." He said waiting at the door for them to all fix up the desks and chairs.

Once all were seated Michael made his way to his desk. He placed his briefcase down and turned his back to the class. A howl of laughter from a jock at the back was heard and a few girly giggles from the front. A 'shit!' was heard from the seat behind Kevin, which was followed by a few snickers. Sydney read the back of Mr Vaughn's jacket. It read 'Starbucks Geek'. Sydney buried her head in her arms as a blush of embarrassment crept up her neck.

"What?" Michael asked the class as he turned back to them. "You like my jacket? I got it specially made." He stated as if it were a conversation he were having.

Kenny Matherson, in the seat behind Kevin, hit his head on the desk a few times. "Kenny?" Michael called out. "You like it?" He asked with a grin.

Kenny refused to look up. "I'll speak to you after class thanks." Mr Vaughn said before shedding his jacket and beginning the class.

Second period bell rang forty-five minutes later and just as Sydney was packing her things she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket where she quickly stashed it when Mr Vaughn had entered the room. Pulling it out she read the message. 'Will says to 'get ur freak on'… I don't think he knows what that means. Billie dropped a paper clip down the back of the monitor.' Sydney giggled at the message. 'Only Will would be oblivious to the meaning of that song.' Sydney thought. Shaking her head with a smile still stuck to her face she continued to pack up her things before making her way out of the classroom missing Mr Vaughn's stare.


	11. Chapter 10: Where Art Thou Matty?

Part Ten:

The remaining days of the week went by without so much as a hiccup. Mr Vaughn hadn't asked her to stay behind again and she couldn't feel him staring at her anymore. The feeling of disappointment arose again, but before Sydney was forced to take notice of it she distracted herself by thinking of Francie and Will. She'd spoken to Francie three times this week and they sorted out their plans for Francie and Will's visit. They were going to stay with the Bristow's for the week. Francie would sleep with Sydney in her bed and Will would crash in the spare bedroom. Francie had already expressed her enthusiasm at the prospect of a week-long slumber party.

Sydney quickly refocused her attention on Mr Vaughn who was starting to hand out assessment papers. She'd spent most of last night studying for this and had skipped her Abby time to study ACT III again. She hoped it paid off.

Mr Vaughn walked up her isle, slowly making his way to her desk. He placed the paper down and whispered a 'good luck' with a reassuring smile.

"Ok, start." He commanded as he looked up at the clock checking the time. He slowly made his way down each isle looking over students' shoulders and periodically glancing up at the clock.

With five minutes left Michael was now sitting at his desk waiting for his students to finish. As he looked up and down at the head of each of his students, his eyes landed finally on Sydney who it seemed had finished her paper. She'd closed up the paper and turned it up side down, her close-capped pen lay over the paper and she sat with her head resting on her right hand looking up and out of the window.

Feeling eyes staring upon her, Sydney turned her head and caught Mr Vaughn as he quickly turned his head away. Now it was her turn to watch him. She stared intently at his features, noting the cleft in his chin, the way he chewed on his bottom lip when he was concentrating. She watched as his nose flared and she stifled a giggle. Her eyes trailed up slowly and she was met with his green eyes. 'Oh Shit.' She thought as her eyes widened in shock at being caught and she quickly fumbled for her paper under the guise of re-checking her answers.

He smiled at her antics and his stomach did a flip-flop. Quickly glancing down at his watch and then up at the clock above the blackboard he realised that time was almost up.

Standing up from his seat and making his way around to the front of his desk he counted off the seconds as they ticked by.

"Ok, pens down." He announced and the sound of pens hitting the wood of the desktops resounded in the room. A few groans joined and students stretched their arms behind their heads.

"If you can all make sure your names are on them and then pass them to the front desk of each row, you can then leave as the bell is about to ring." Michael said as he watched some of his students follow his instructions.

Through the hustle and bustle of the students exiting the classroom in a hurry to get to their next class or to their study period, the bell could be heard ringing through the halls. "I should have your results by Monday!" Michael yelled out to the rapidly escaping students. A grunt from one of the boys was all he heard in response.

Michael headed over to grab some of the papers from desks where students had left them instead of listening to his instructions. A few students took their time leaving the room, Sydney included. Catching her about to leave, he called out to her, "Syd, just wait a sec if you could." He said as he picked up a few more papers while waiting for the lingering few students to leave.

'Syd?' She thought to herself. There had only ever been one other person that had called her that. A feeling of guilt washed over her before being replaced by giddiness and excitement. A smile spread over her face at the thought of him using a nickname for her.

Walking over to his desk he placed the papers down before turning around to face her. "Ok," He started with a smile and a relaxed stance, his hands in his pockets, his tie loosened and the top button open. "I'll have your paper marked by 3:00pm this afternoon if you want to drop by and collect it. We can also discuss the extra credit." He said, his smile still in place. He didn't know yet what it was but there was something about her that just made him want to smile when he was with her. He shrugged it off before his mind travelled places that were supposed to never be travelled in his profession.

She nodded and returned his smile with a small one of her own. She turned on her heel and quickly scurried out of the classroom, her book bag clutched to her shoulders.

"Interesting." Michael said a smile still lingering on his face. He shook his head before walking around his desk to start marking her paper as he waited for his next class to arrive.

"Where have you been all week?" Michael heard himself ask as Eric set down his full tray of food at the table already filling fast with staff members.

"The ninth graders keep setting small fires in the ovens. Who knew chocolate mud cake was a killer?" Eric said sitting down disgruntled. "Do you know how hard and time-consuming it is to clean ovens all day?" He asked as he shot Michael a death glare.

Michael holding his hands up as a sign of surrender replied, "I didn't do it." A grin formed on his face as he noticed the frustrated way Eric sat, his back in an awkward position.

"Do you know what its like to be on your knees for like an hour everyday?" He asked Michael before shovelling a bread roll into his mouth.

Michael raised an eyebrow in Eric's direction, "You know, some women admire a man who'll get down on his knees." Michael joked.

"Ha… ha." Eric replied sarcastically.

There was a pause in conversation as both parties took bites of their lunch. Eric paused mid-bite though and turned to look at Michael with a suspicious stare.

"What?" Michael asked a little unnerved.

"Speaking of men and women and their knees," he paused for effect, "what was Sydney Bristow doing playing with your son on Friday morning?"

And any conversation at the table ceased to exist as about twelve pairs of eyes stared at him.

"Uh-" Michael started only to be interrupted by his pager that vibrated against his hip. Reaching down to check the read-out he reacted immediately as he jumped up from the table and ran inside the school building towards the front desk.

There stood a red haired girl chewing on gum with her mouth wide open squeezing Matty's hand tightly, trying to stop his squirming body.

Sarah watched suspiciously out of the corner of her eye under the guise of using the computer at the front desk.

"What happened?" Michael asked as he took Matty away from the girl.

"Gotta get outta this joint." The redhead said before turning around and leaving.

"Wait! You can't just leave!" Michael yelled out to her, a rude finger was her reply.

"Great!" Michael muttered as Matty began to play with the buttons on Michael's shirt. Noticing Sarah out of the corner of his eye he did a mental eye-roll, as he knew this would be around the staff before next period started in fifteen minutes.

Making a quick decision he walked over to Sarah. "Sarah, I was wondering, if I need to find the location of a student at a particular time, you're the person I see right?" He asked.

Sarah feigning surprise at his appearance in front of him, quickly switched her gaze from Michael to Matty who continued to fiddle with the buttons on Michael's shirt.

"Uh yeah." Sarah finally answered.

"Great. I was wandering if you could tell me what Sydney Bristow has next period. Thanks." Michael asked as he readjusted Matty on his hip. So far Matty hadn't even glanced at Sarah, keeping his attention on Michael.

Michael looked down at his son who proceeded to tuck his head into Michael's neck as if to hide. Michael rubbed his back as he listened to Sarah's fingers tap against the keyboard. Finally she shared with him the information he'd asked for.

"Alright, she has a study period and then AP Maths." Sarah replied before smiling up at Michael.

Without a glance in her direction he extended a thanks and left. As he reached the hallways he set Matty on his feet keeping a firm hold on Matty's hand.

They slowly walked down the hallway towards the outside eating area. Michael braced himself for the stares he knew he was going to receive. Reaching the final corner he paused there and took a deep breath and reassured himself that he wasn't ashamed of Matty, he loved him and he was the best thing to ever happen in his life.

"Ready?" Michael asked looking down at Matty. Matty grinned back up at him, his dimples showing. Michael rolled his eyes matching his grin before he took the plunge and stepping around the corner.

There was a considerable decrease in the level of noise when Michael began to walk between the tables back towards his surprisingly still vacant seat next to Eric. Michael felt Matty begin to feel uncomfortable and stopped briefly to pick him up. When Matty buried himself in Michael's warm and comforting arms he heard a few 'awwws' and 'that's so cute' coming from the girls at the tables around him.

Michael quickly made his way to the staff table without any mishaps. Eric looked up and Michael was sure he saw Eric's eyes light up at the sight of Matty.

"Sorry." Michael apologised for is rudeness earlier. "My babysitter dropped out on me." Silence reigned upon the table.

Matty shifted his position in Michael's arms and caught a glimpse of Eric.

"Unc Ewc!" Matty exclaimed reaching out to Eric who excitedly snatched him out of Michael's arms.

"Matty! How are you?" Eric asked as he sat him in his lap facing him.

"Goo." Matty replied with a grin before punching Eric softly in the chest. "Bash up!" Matty exclaimed with excitement.

Eric looked over at Michael who shook his head, his obvious tiredness showing. "What have you been teaching your son?" Eric asked with a grin.

"You're the one that said you wanted to corrupt him." Michael replied jokingly before grabbing Matty's attention. "Matty, we don't hit people ok?" He asked.

Matty nodded before kissing Eric on the cheek. "Eww! You don't kiss boys." Eric replied, his face all scrunched up in mock disgust.

"Oh admit it, your mother-hen side is itching to escape." Michael said with a grin before continuing with his half eaten meal while keeping a close eye on Matty.

There were a few minutes left of lunch and students were slowly starting to leave. "Can you just watch him for a sec?" Michael asked without waiting for a reply. He made his way over to the bin and disposed of his rubbish before returning to the table to notice Matty wasn't there anymore.

"Where's Matty?" Michael asked, his heart beginning to pound in his chest, his breathing quickening.

"What?" Eric asked as he turned away from his conversation to look over at Michael.

Sweat droplets began to make their way down his forehead and his hands began to fidget. "Where's Matty, I just went to the bin, where is he?" Michael asked, his eyes darting from place to place around him, hordes of students were now making their way to their lockers and Michael couldn't see anything.

Turning around in a full circle, Michael couldn't locate him.

And the world stopped.


	12. Chapter 11: Babysitting Duties

Part Eleven:

Sydney had yet again been sitting beneath a tree reading her book as she tried to ignore the chatter going on around her. When there was a sudden hush, Sydney looked up and spotted Mr Vaughn walking through the eating area. She soon made out Matty's form by his side and got an itch to run over and pick him up. 'He just looks so lost.' She thought to herself when she caught a glimpse of his chubby little face.

She silently watched as Michael paused to pick Matty up. The poor child was scared of everyone. She thought it a little odd as he'd willingly walked up to her in class last week and when Mr Vaughn had thrust him into her arms that day, he hadn't squirmed or made a fuss, he just held onto her and tucked his head into her neck.

Sydney suddenly felt nostalgic. Her fingers and arms itched to feel her daughter's warmth and small body against hers. She longed to breathe in and suddenly smell the unique scent her daughter possessed. She wanted to be home, with Abby.

Deciding that any attempts to continue reading were futile and therefore she closed her book and returned it to her book bag before leaning up against the tree facing Mr Vaughn and Matty who now sat in Mr Weiss's lap. She supposed she'd settle for this; watching a father and son interact.

Sydney felt a few tears pool on her bottom eyelashes causing her vision to become blurry. Her attempt at blinking them away only caused them to fall down her cheeks. She swiftly wiped them before anyone noticed and before any more tears threatened to fall. Sydney averted her watery gaze from the sight of Mr Vaughn playing with his son as a wave of jealousy filled her. Staring intently at the grass for a few minutes, she was startled when she heard an unusual version of her name being called out.

"Disney!" Matty called out as he ran with a waddle towards her. As he neared she outstretched her arms to catch him when he ran full-pelt into her. Instantly wrapping her arms around the little body, she squeezed him to her. Inhaling, she caught a whiff of Matty's own child-like scent and her body instantaneously relaxed.

After a few seconds Matty pulled back and noticed tears glistening in her eyes. Reaching a tiny hand up to her face he gently touched her cheek. "You cry-in?" He asked with reverence.

Sydney smiled through her tears before she nodded. She brought her left hand up to run it through his hair, fixing his part.

"Why?" He asked as he reached for the necklace that hung around her neck.

Sydney smiled down at him before replying. "I miss someone very much." She explained simply.

"Oh." Matty replied sounding his understanding.

They sat together the pair of them, Matty in her lap facing her as he continued his exploration of her necklace. Sydney's fingers weren't idle; she brushed her fingers through his hair and ran her thumbs over his exposed arms feeling the soft texture of his childish skin.

A thought suddenly struck Sydney. She eyed Matty for a few seconds catching his attention. He returned her gaze with a more quizzical one. "Are you ticklish?" She asked, a grin beginning to form on her lips, her fingers poised ready to find every ticklish spot on his body.

Matty tried unsuccessfully to hide his grin as he answered in the negative. In an instant her fingers were running up and down his body, causing him to squirm in her arms till he landed on the grass on his back as he expressed his happiness and delight through laughter.

Sydney continued to tickle Matty, her giggling joining his. "You're ticklish aren't you?" She began asking through her giggles and still she'd receive a laughing "No."

"So you'll talk to my son before you'll talk to me?" A masculine voice interrupted them.

Sydney froze.

Michael's mind was running on over-drive. He couldn't see Matty anywhere, he was on his hands and knees now looking underneath all the tables trying to see his little red sneakers and the blue denim of his overalls. But all that he could see were the legs of students and the rubbish they left behind.

Panic settled over him and just as the frustration rose and the need to hit something or someone appeared, a voice broke him.

"There." Gladys said pointing her bony finger in the direction of the grass area and the trees. Michael stood up quickly gaining his balance by grabbing the edge of the table in front of him. Michael's eyes searching rapidly around the trees trying to sort through a couple of the stragglers to find his son.

Finally, and as his heart skipped a beat out of what he believed was sheer relief, he spotted Matty.

With Sydney.

"Jesus." Michael breathed out as he let his right hand rub down his face. With a quick thanks to Gladys he slowly made his way towards the pair, his heart rate elevating with each step. He watched as she played with his son, asking him questions, having a conversation with him. And suddenly Michael faltered in his step.

She was talking!

Quickening his pace slightly he heard her giggling alongside Matty as she tickled him mercilessly.

A grin formed on his lips as he was able to approach without being seen.

"So you'll talk to my son before you'll talk to me?" He asked.

Sydney was saved from answering by the squirming boy beneath her. "Daddy!" He squealed without an attempt to move from beneath Sydney's fingers.

Crouching down to be eye level with Sydney he spoke. "I owe you another thank you." Michael said with a grin.

Sydney almost tried to hold back a smile in response. Michael suddenly felt giddy.

"Daddy." Matty started as he interrupted their staring match. "This, Disney." He explained still lying on his back in the grass. He pointed a finger in Sydney's direction and grinned up at Michael.

Michael quickly averted his attention to his son. Smiling down at him he corrected him. "That's Disney? Well, her real name is Sydney." And quickly Michael's fingers began to tickle up and down Matty's sides hitting all the right spots. Sydney quickly moved her fingers away but smiled happily as she watched Mr Vaughn play with his son.

Another pair off eyes watched on from a distance with a curious stare. He watched the three of them for a few minutes longer before heading off to class.

Mr Vaughn glanced at his watch after he pulled his fingers away from Matty. Noticing the time, he looked up at Sydney and felt guilty for what he was going to ask her.

Sydney caught the look in his eyes and she suddenly felt very apprehensive about what was about to happen.

"Syd, I'm really sorry to ask you this." Mr Vaughn started before taking a deep breath, "I checked with the front desk and they told me you didn't have a class next and I was wandering if it was at all possible that you could mind Matty for me." Before she could refuse Michael kept rambling on. "It'll only be for this next period and then you can go to Maths, you'd just have to drop him off at my door on your way and he might need to go to the toilet soon and if it'll make you say yes, I'll even pay you. I know it's a lot to ask especially with all the work you've probably got to do, but I don't trust him to be with anyone else and he seems to really like you and - "

Noticing Mr Vaughn beginning to ramble she began to tap on his shoulder to get his attention but she had no success. She was going to say yes, but if he'd just shut up then she could tell him her answer. Beginning to get frustrated, as she didn't want any money for taking care of Matty she interrupted him, this time significantly successful in her attempt.

"Yes."

There was silence for a few short seconds. "Wow." Mr Vaughn responded in awe.

A blush crept up Sydney's neck colouring her cheeks and warming her skin. "Say something else." Mr Vaughn demanded in an excited tone.

"Er – I don't want your money?" Sydney said apprehensively.

"Fantastic!" Mr Vaughn said feeling like he should jump up and down in excitement over the fact he'd gotten her talk to him.

"Mr Vaughn?" Sydney attempted at grabbing his attention again.

"Yeah?" He answered staring at her in awe.

"You're late for class." She said with a small smile. Quickly it turned into a grin as she watched him jump up off the ground and ran off yelling out a "Thanks!" and "I owe you big time!"

Sydney looked down at Matty who had now found his shoes to be interesting. "You're daddy's crazy." She said. Matty grinned up at her. "Dad crazy."

Sydney laughed.


	13. Chapter 12: Her Angelic Voice

Part Twelve:

Sydney packed up her maths books as the bell rang loudly outside the classroom door. She took her time as the butterflies in her stomach fluttered faster with every second that ticked by. She'd taken a huge leap today and spoken to Mr Vaughn. Now she wasn't sure how to proceed. She'd only spoken to get him to stop rambling. Plus, she secretly wanted to spend all the time she could with Matty.

She finished packing up and slowly walked out into the crowded hallways, teenagers were running about, ripping lockers open and shoving books into their book bags and hurrying to meet up with their friends for their afternoon rituals.

Sydney made her way down one hallway and turned into another. She made it to her locker where she found two girls standing close together talking in hushed tones. Sydney being invisible to most had been watching this pair since the first day she'd stepped into the school. She'd learnt a lot from just watching people. There were two guys on the football team, that seemed to be having some kind of threesome with the head cheerleader, a girl in her Computer Lit class had a fascination with porn sites, two of the teachers were passing notes to each other like school children when passing each other in the hallways, both blushing after making contact. With these two girls, she knew there was something going on with the two of them but she never made an effort to announce her findings with them. She'd watch them on some days and found how cute they were around each other. Other days she just hurried at her locker and left. Today, she didn't feel like invading their privacy. She quickly packed her bag and headed towards Mr Vaughn's classroom without a backwards glance at the pair still conversing next to her locker.

Classroom after classroom she passed until she reached the closed door of Mr Vaughn's. Taking a deep breath and clenching her hands a few times she stepped up to the door and knocked softly. She heard the scuffle of little feet and a very masculine, "Come in."

She turned the handle and looked down as she opened the door, there Matty stood, a big grin on his face. "Hi." He said before turning and scurrying off to the floor next to Mr Vaughn's feet where he was scribbling on some paper with coloured pencils.

"Hi." Mr Vaughn said getting up and out of his chair to make his way towards her. He glanced at Matty checking he was ok before coming closer to Sydney. "Let's sit down and talk about your paper and the extra credit." He said before placing a gentle hand on her elbow to direct her to two desks in the front row.

Sydney nervously sat down and dropped her backpack on the floor at her feet. She brushed some non-existent strands of hair behind her ear in a nervous manner before daring a look in his direction.

Michael watched as she fumbled with the straps of her backpack. He smiled at the way she brushed the hair off her face although it wasn't there anyway. He fumbled with her assessment paper in his hand for a few seconds waiting for her to get comfortable in his presence. When she looked up at him, he began.

"So I marked your assessment and I was quite impressed with your work. You only lost about one or two marks. You just needed to elaborate a little more." Michael said before sliding the paper in her direction.

With a tentative hand, she took the paper and checked her mark. 48/50. Ok, so it was more than she'd expected, definitely not bad at all. "Oh." Was all she said.

There was a pause in the conversation before Michael broke it. "Have you thought any more about the idea of extra credit?" He asked facing her completely.

Sydney looked down at the mark again before looking up and over at Matty. She did a quick recap of the last two weeks and thought about the time she'd spent with Abby and then about her marks so far. The idea of excelling at something she was good at appealed to her and the fact that it would look good on her record. She looked up at Mr Vaughn to give her final answer.

She cleared her throat and Michael prepared himself to hear her voice again. It had been exciting earlier when she'd shut him up with one word. He secretly wished she'd do it again. A fluttering in his stomach alerted him of his excitement at the prospect of being one of the only people she talks to.

"I thought about it and I've decided to take up your offer."

Michael mentally sighed with relief. What a waste it would have been if she hadn't taken the extra credit.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that." Michael said with a mile-wide smile.

Sydney couldn't help but blush at his comment before smiling back. Michael stared at her for a few seconds before returning back to the matter at hand.

"Alright. Well, I thought that we could work together after school maybe, or on weekends, whatever suits you. I can always visit your house or we can work out something else. I also thought, that with doing extra credit, you probably wouldn't need to come to a lot of classes." Michael began as he rattled off everything he'd thought about.

"I have some other, um, commitments that I need to make time for." Sydney said interrupting him before he continued on.

Michael sat thinking for a few seconds. "Well, how about we think up a time to meet, and where we can meet for next week and then from each session we can decide. How does that sound?" Michael asked.

Matty slowly made his way towards Michael and Sydney. Without thought Michael outstretched his arms and waited to pick him up.

"No!" Matty said pulling away from Michael. "Want Disney." He said before turning and walking into Sydney's arms. She picked him up and settled him in her lap before turning towards Mr Vaughn to see a shocked expression on his face.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to assume." Sydney said as she began to lift him up and out of her lap.

Acting immediately Michael held his hands up as if surrendering. "No, no that's ok, I think he likes you." Michael said.

"Ok." Sydney said with a smile as she held Matty closer.

"So anyway, does that sound ok to you?" Michael asked getting them back on track.

Sydney looked at Michael quizzically. "Oh! Yeah, that's fine." She said with a smile.

"So when did you want to meet next week?" Michael asked as she stood up to retrieve his timetable from his desk.

"I can't do Monday, I have something on. Tuesday afternoon is ok, but I have to be home by 4:30." Sydney said rattling off her schedule.

"Oh that's alright, I'll give you a lift if you like." He offered with a smile.

Sydney stood up holding on tightly to Matty as she bent down to pick her bag up off the floor.

"Um, if you're sure." She said hesitantly.

"It's fine seriously." Michael said with a reassuring smile.

"Ok, great." Sydney said as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Setting Matty down on the ground with a hug and a kiss, she said a quick goodbye and swiftly left the room. Closing the classroom door behind her she walked a few steps away from the classroom and eyed the hallways noticing that people weren't milling about anymore, she was alone. Heaving a sigh of relief she collapsed against the lockers to catch her breath.

Throughout the entire time she was there, she was certain that butterflies had permanently taken up residence in her stomach. She blushed too many times to count and felt giddiness at the prospect of spending more time alone with him. "Damn it." She whispered out loud before pushing herself off the lockers to make the journey home.

Michael watched as Sydney left and closed the door behind her.

Quickly turning towards Matty and yanking him up off the floor, he twirled him around. "Did you hear that Matty? She talked. TO ME!" Michael exclaimed in excited tones as Matty giggled.

"That was amazing." He said before holding Matty close and staring at the door Sydney had left through.


	14. Chapter 13: Daddy's Little Girl

Part Thirteen:

Jack Bristow stood in the shadows as he watched his daughter play with his granddaughter. He smiled as Sydney held Abby up above her head, simulating an aeroplane.

"Woosh!" He heard Sydney exclaim as she moved Abby around up in the air. Giggles erupted from the young girl.

Their small little family had come a long way in the last three years. Looking back on when Sydney had been first born, he'd never have thought that he'd be a grandfather at such a young age. He loved Abby with all of his heart and if he had to choose between a life with or without her, he'd have chosen the path that would lead to her arrival.

A teen pregnancy had never been something that he had factored into his daughter's life. He was sure Sydney hadn't either. From his vantage point, he saw the whole ordeal through the eyes of a protective father. He knew how he felt and he was sure, through the actions of others, the way everyone else felt. Laura, he knew, was ecstatic over the fact they had a baby in the house. Of course at the time that it all occurred, she'd experience periodic breakdowns at night in their bed. He'd roll over and hold her tight against his chest in an effort to show support and his strength. It took a lot to not let her feel his body shudder with his own tears. He figured, though, she'd known either way.

On those nights, he knew why Laura was crying. She didn't need to tell him. It was the same reason he had sometimes found himself sitting at his desk at work staring at nothing of importance, not really thinking at all about what he should have been. His tears, he found, would slowly trail down his cheeks when he'd lock himself in his bedroom after watching his daughter struggle to bend over, or when she would fold the baby clothes that she'd bought with her well-earned money. His guilt over not being able to help her more tore through his very soul.

She'd refused any financial help for a while; Abby's father was helping as much as he could. Laura and he had discussed it many a times, when the car was being washed, when they'd be doing laundry, fixing the sink. It didn't matter what they were doing, they'd be discussing Sydney's stubbornness to accept their help. Blame was set on both of them. She'd inherited her father's reasoning and her mother's stubbornness. Both traits had worked against them this time.

"Mommy!" Abby squealed with delight as Sydney began tickling her mercilessly.

Jack looked at his watch checking the time. 4:45pm. Abby and Sydney time. Every day, be it weekday or weekend, Sydney had always made a point of spending time with her daughter. Weekdays were harder to spend time with her, but some days she refused to come down for dinner, as she'd have to make up for the time she'd lost when she'd spent a half-hour more with Abby.

Jack was saddened by this. The fact that she had to schedule in time for her daughter. He knew Sydney loved Abby more than anything in the world, but Sydney was set on creating the best future for her daughter, and studying sometimes had had to come before Abby. He's seen the depressed and miserable expression she'd wear after realising that she couldn't spend alone time with Abby. School holidays were too few and too far in between to allow her time to make it up to Abby.

Francie Calfo and Will Tippin were heading down in a few weeks, and Jack couldn't be happier to see _The Three Musketeers_ together again at last. Through everything that had happened from Abby's conception to this point in time, Francie and Will had been her true friends. The ones Sydney could count on for the much needed support and encouragement only they could provide.

They were sure to have a packed house full of laughter and giggles, fighting and trickery. Jack couldn't wait. He knew Laura was excited. The three of them had sat down months ago to decide on moving. They'd made a list of pro's and con's together and decided that although they'd all miss Francie and Will, they knew that for Sydney, they had to move. They left the decision entirely up to Sydney, secretly hoping she'd agree to move. If she hadn't said yes, Laura and he would still have supported her every way possible. Sydney had fortunately agreed. She justified her leaving her friends with a simple, "It's not good bye, it's cya later." Jack was sure she'd gotten that from a movie.

"Are you ticklish?" Jack heard Sydney ask her daughter with a laugh and tickle around her chin.

Jack smiled before leaving the two alone.

"Mom told me you accepted the extra credit." Jack said digging his fork into the lasagne on his plate.

Sydney turned her head to glance at her dad before returning back to helping feed her daughter. "Yeah. He said that I might not have to go to some of the classes. Which is good cause they're usually in the mornings. Means I can spend a little time with Abby in the mornings as well."

"Well, congratulations. I'm very proud of you. We both are." Jack said with a smile.

"Thanks." Sydney said looking at her father and smiling in appreciation.

"Have you thought about what you'll do when Francie and Will visit?" Laura asked before taking a sip of her water.

"Not really." Sydney said fitting a fork-full of her food in before catching a piece of lasagne off Abby's plate before it hit the floor. "I figure, they'll decide and we'll make sure Abby can come and then we go wherever they want to."

"You should all go to Disney Land. Abby'll love it!" Jack suggested.

_Matty._

That was Sydney's first thought. Matty would love it as well. She wondered if Mr Vaughn might let her take him with her. Abby would have a playmate and Matty would have fun.

"Sounds like a great idea." Sydney said with a saddened smile once she realised that she wouldn't be able to take Matty because Mr Vaughn didn't _know_ about Abby.

"So, I thought that we could get you working on some parallels between MacBeth and some of Shakespeare's other plays, perhaps you know of other novels, playwright's that you could use as well." Mr Vaughn explained to her carefully as they sat side-by-side at a desk in one of the study rooms of the library after school.

Sydney nodded briefly running through a few playwrights and novels she read that she might be able to find parallels or recurring themes in. Romeo and Juliet. Hamlet. The Crucible. Salem Falls.

Michael stared at her for a few seconds. She'd hardly spoken since they'd met up together at his classroom. A lot of nodding, but hardly a word or full sentences.

"Are you ok?" He asked suddenly.

Startled, Sydney looked up at him. She was a little nervous in his presence, but she didn't think he'd pick up on it.

"Fine." She replied before looking down at the desk.

Michael studied her for a few seconds. "Ok." He finally relented.

An hour later they were packing up their belongings and heading towards the exit.

"Have you got everything?" Michael asked her as they walked down the hallway together.

Sydney did a mental check and remembered her Maths book in her locker. "I just need to grab something from my locker.

"That's fine, I'll come with you." He offered with a smile.

Quietly, they made their way over to Sydney's locker.

2147. Michael memorised the number for which he thought there was no particular reason for but did anyway.

She spun her dial carefully with slightly shaking fingers. She opened it with little hassle to reveal a very neat and tidy locker.

"Wow. I don't think I've seen a locker like yours before." He commented with a grin. He spied the only two photos on her open door.

"Friends?" He asked as he pointed at the top one showing her in the middle of Will, Francie and another boy.

"Uh." Sydney looked at the photo for a few seconds. "Yeah."

"From your old school right?" He asked again stepping up close to her to take a better look at the photo.

Freezing up a little in surprise, Sydney felt his body heat behind her; she closed her eyes to try and get a grip on her pulse and to regain a steady breathing pattern. "Yeah." She answered after a few failed attempts.

"Oh! Who's this?" Michael asked pointing at a new born baby in the photo below. "Cousin?" He asked with a smile.

Sydney stared at the photo of her daughter before replying, "Yeah something like that." She quickly grabbed her book out and shut the door before turning around to find herself extremely close to Mr Vaughn.

He looked down at her, his green eyes melting into her brown ones. A blush crept up her neck, tinging her cheeks with a shade of pink. Michael's breathing became slightly laboured and he quickly stepped back.

"Sorry." He mumbled an apology before turning his gaze down to the ground.

Mentally checking her pulse, she replied with a soft, "It's ok." Without thinking she reached a hand out to place on his arm to get him to look up at her.

Masking his face, he quickly stepped out of her reach. "We should probably go. I'll drop you home." He said before starting to walk down the hallway leaving Sydney to stare at him for a few more seconds.

'_Idiot!_' She screamed to herself in her head.

'_Dickhead!_' Michael mentally beat himself up.


	15. Chapter 14: You Have A What?

Part Fourteen:

Michael pulled his car up to the curb on the opposite side of the street. Putting the car in park, he turned to look at Sydney's house. 'Wow,' he thought to himself as his eyes trailed over the two-story house. With its white door and white window frames, its front yard, the grass as green as could be with a flow of different flowers around the edges.

"You live here?" He asked, glancing at her quickly before returning his gaze back up to the house.

Sydney took a look at the outside of the house. She admired it for a few seconds before relying.

"Yep," she said quietly before popping the handle on the door and pushing it open. "Thanks for the lift," she said politely before climbing out of the car.

"Oh! That's fine." Michael replied forgetting all about the Ilittle/I incident earlier at her locker. "Before I forget, come to class tomorrow and we'll make up a timetable for us to meet up in second period. My grade eight class is on a science excursion," Michael suggested to her.

Sydney paused as she was about to close the door. She nodded in response before offering a small smile and closing the car door.

Michael watched as she crossed the road slowly and made her way down her path and up the three steps to the front porch where she turned the doorknob and walked in. After she closed the door, Michael watched the house for a few seconds before putting the car in drive and taking off down the road to turn right and then left onto his street. He hadn't mentioned to Sydney that he lived close by; he felt it slightly inappropriate. Though, he supposed he might be able to get her to baby-sit Matty once in a while. You know, because their location was convenient, he thought trying to convince himself.

Sydney watched from the peephole as Mr Vaughn waited a few seconds before leaving. When his car was out of sight, she turned on her heel and quickly ran up the stairs and down the hallway towards her bedroom where she collapsed face down on the bed.

"Oh God," she said to herself. She was a mixing bowl of emotions. Sorrow filled her as she thought back to the photo stuck up in her locker. Abby's father. That's who the unidentified boy was. She kept it up, not only to have Francie and Will close by, but to have a reminder of all the trouble she'd caused.

A tear rolled down her cheek, hitting the comforter beneath her face. Her shoulders shuddered as she began to cry. Behind her closed eyelids, flashes of that fateful night from months ago played as a silent movie. She witnessed it all over again, and each emotion that each scene evoked crashed into her wave after powerful wave.

She tried to cry silently. She knew her mother was home; she didn't want to alert her to her current state of sorrow.

"Mama?" A little voice laced with worry asked from the bedroom doorway.

Immediately pausing, Sydney turned her head and spotted her daughter at the doorway, clinging onto the doorframe. Her little chubby face, her eyes expressing her sadness and worry.

Sydney gave her a watery smile.

"You k?" the little girl asked, taking a tentative step towards her mother.

Sydney regarded her daughter for a few seconds. She smiled genuinely this time. "Mommy is a little sad, you wanna come up here and lay with Mommy for a little while?" Sydney asked, pushing herself up to sit on the bed.

With a wide grin and a "Yep!", Abby waddled her way over to the bed and raised her arms for her mom to help her.

Sydney reached out and cuddled her daughter to her chest. As Sydney laid back down, this time on her back, Abby on her stomach and chest, she began to tell her a story of a princess whose mother loved her very much. They lived in a castle and there were mountains of toys to play with and all the candy in the world.

Abby snuggled down into her mother and snuck her thumb into her mouth without Sydney noticing. Sydney let her fingers run through the smooth silk of her daughter's wavy hair as she stared up at the ceiling and threw herself into the fairytale.

The entire senior class sat in the auditorium waiting for an authority figure to inform them of the reason for their mandatory attendance. There was chatter and laughter as the students grew impatient. Sydney sat herself in one of the back rows where she knew she wouldn't be noticed. She had a spare seat to her left and two spare seats to her right.

The back doors of the auditorium opened and the two locker girls scurried in and took the two seats to Sydney's right with a smile and a "Thanks." Sydney just offered them both a smile.

A few teachers filed in after the two girls, walking down the isle next to Sydney. She glanced up at one point to be met with the green eyes of Mr Vaughn, to which she quickly averted her gaze to the front.

Principal Andrews made his way to the microphone where he proceeded to tap on it with his index finger.

Sydney studied him for a few seconds. She'd met him only once – her first day. He was a short, plump man with a balding head. She noticed with humour that the light from the stage illuminated his head. He was about 5'3" and his jacket sleeves were too long for his arms. Despite his appearance, he had seemed a nice enough man.

"Ex – excuse me." He said in a small voice into the microphone. Funnily enough, the entire senior class averted their attention to him.

"With exams approaching, your teachers and I feel that you need a few days to a week of relaxation and bonding to help each other get through the next few months," he started.

Whispering amongst the students started up, and the locker girls beside Sydney grinned at each other before facing the front again.

"This will take place in a few weeks. You'll all take home a note for your parents to sign and we'll be taking a few buses to a peaceful location where there is an abundance of trees and fresh air."

'A week!' Sydney thought to herself in shock. 'A week without Abby?' She didn't think she could do it. She couldn't ask her parents to take full care of Abby for a week. It was much too long and much too much responsibility that she felt she should only own when concerning her daughter. 'He didn't say it was compulsory.' She thought to herself with a sigh.

"Need I remind you all that this will be mandatory? You each must attend and if you're not to attend, I must have a letter from your parents and your doctor and you'll spend the week here at school in study." Principal Andrews said.

"Shit!" Sydney swore under breath. The girls next to her looked at her with shock. Realising what she'd done, Sydney quickly got up and left the auditorium as fast as possible while she left Principal Andrews informing the students of the teacher's going on the trip.

Michael had been looking out at the students as Adam Andrews addressed them. Eric stood next to him lowly humming IMary Had A Little Lamb/I. Michael tried not to laugh. He glanced at Eric before tracking down the face of the only student he wanted to see. Spotting her again as he had earlier, he watched as the colour in her face drained when Adam had announced that it was mandatory that they all attend. He saw slight movement of her mouth and the two girls next to her turn in shock. She'd obviously said something out loud. He watched, concerned, as she shot up out of her seat and left the auditorium.

Next to him, he heard Eric's tune falter. "What's with that?" he asked softly to Michael.

"I don't know. I'll be back." He said before quietly making his way off the stage and out of the room to find Sydney.

Stepping out of the auditorium he saw a female figure turn the corner down the corridor. Racing after her, he caught her as she went to turn left at another hallway.

"Syd!" He called out gently.

She faltered in her step before coming to a complete stop. She didn't turn to look at him though; instead she crossed her arms as a defence mechanism.

Walking slowly up to her, he reached out a tentative hand to touch her back. "Are you ok?" He asked softly, walking around her to get a look at her face.

"I'm fine," she ground out. She wasn't fine. She was angry and hurt and annoyed and depressed all rolled into one.

"You certainly don't look it," he replied with a small smile as he ducked his head to see if he could get a look at her face.

"It's nothing," she said defiantly. It wasn't nothing though. She couldn't go on that trip, there would be too many opportunities for her to expose herself, for people to know who she really is, to hear her talk. She couldn't do it. She couldn't leave Abby without her mother for the week, she couldn't put that burden on her parents, and she sure as hell couldn't last that long without Abby.

"You don't want to go on the trip," he observed from her behaviour.

She was silent in giving him her answer.

"It'll be fun. Plus I'll be there, and Matty. I don't really see how you can get out of it. Matty'll love to spend that time with you. He won't stop talking about you at home." Michael said, trying to coax her into agreeing about going.

"It's not that. You wouldn't understand," she said as she turned away from him to start down the hallway again; to get to her locker.

"Then tell me what's wrong and then I'll be able to understand," he pleaded with her. She faltered for a few seconds and he thought she might be contemplating actually telling him what was wrong.

"It doesn't work like that," she said softly, just loud enough for him to hear, before she began her journey down the hallway towards her locker again.

Michael checked his watch for the thirtieth time that afternoon. After he had watched Sydney head down the hall, he returned to the auditorium and remained at the back, lost in his own thoughts. He had a feeling she was going to skip the rest of the day. He couldn't explain it, but she had seemed overly concerned with the fact that it was a mandatory relaxation trip; more so than an average teenager would be anyway. He knew he had hockey practice at 4:30 that afternoon, but he figured he could be a little late. He wanted to see if he'd been wrong about her leaving, and if he wasn't then he would have to make a trip down to her house, maybe talk to her parents.

Seeing that the meeting had been adjourned, Michael hurried out of the auditorium and down the halls towards his classroom to wait for his last class to arrive and to contemplate the mystery that was Sydney Bristow.

Sydney had grabbed her books and slammed her locker before shoving everything in her bag. She quickly made her way out of the front doors, Sarah, the receptionist, noticing nothing.

Sydney walked in the direction of her house, figuring it would take less time walking there than waiting for a bus. Making it home in twenty minutes, Sydney pushed open the door to find it quiet. Her father was at work; her mother had probably taken Abby to the park. She hung her jacket up on one of the hooks in the foyer before making her way up the stairs to her bedroom.

Gently placing her bag on her desk chair, she flopped down on her bed; much like she had done the previous day. This time she didn't cry. She turned herself onto her back and stared intently up at the ceiling thinking.

It wasn't until two hours later that she found herself waking up from the sound of the doorbell downstairs. Rubbing her eyes, she shot up off her bed and down the stairs, hearing the cling and clatter going on the kitchen; she guessed her mom was home with Abby. She yelled out an "I'll get it!" before making her way to the front door.

She turned the knob slowly on the door and pulled it open. There stood the one person she hadn't expected to see on her doorstep.

"Mr Vaughn?"

Michael stood at her front door, nervous energy coursing through his bones. It wasn't like he was coming to pick her up for a date or anything – he wasn't the one in high school. He rang the doorbell hoping that no one was home, but the distinct visual of a car in the driveway proved him wrong.

The door slowly opened and there she stood, in her jeans and tank top, her love-heart necklace sitting at the base of her neck. Her hair was straight and a layer of its ends sat atop her shoulders. He noticed her lack of shoes and the pink butterfly socks she was wearing on her feet.

He watched as she turned her head to look inside the house briefly, as if checking something, before turning her attention back onto him.

Michael ran a hand down his face before beginning. "Sorry to disturb you. I hope I didn't interrupt anything," he started.

"No, it's ok." She replied softly, glancing behind her again. She let her right hand move up to her face to sweep back a few wisps of hair off her face to situate it behind her ear.

"I just stopped by to make sure everything was ok. I checked with the front desk, you didn't attend your last class. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok," he said, concerned for her. In a nervous effort to keep his hands still, he shoved them into his pockets.

"I'm fine," she stated firmly.

"Are you sure? Because you left that meeting so fast and you were angry when I caught up with you. I just wasn't sure." He explained, pulling one of his hands out of his pockets to wave it around as a visual aide.

"It's fine. It's nothing you'd understand anyway," she said before starting to retreat back inside the house.

"I'd understand if you'd tell me," he said softly, his voice pleading with her. When she met his eyes, she saw the deep concern and protectiveness he had acquired for her.

Sydney breathed in, "I – I can't." As she went to turn to enter the house, he began once more.

"Syd, please – " But he was quickly cut off by a voice he never expected to hear coming from the Bristow house.

"Mommy!" Abby squealed as she squeezed her way outside between the door and her mother's legs.

Sydney's heart pounded as she let her gaze fall down to her daughter. She couldn't meet Mr. Vaughn's eyes as she picked Abby up and held her on her hip. "Come on honey, let's go inside," she said softly to Abby.

"Mommy! Gamma cook dinna!" Abby said with a grin before starting to play with the necklace Sydney was wearing.

Sydney quickly closed the door in Michael's face before she saw the disappointment that she was sure would be etched onto his features.


	16. Chapter 15: Meet The InLaws

Part Fifteen:

Michael stood rooted to his spot on the front porch. '_She has a daughter?_' his mind screamed at him. "Shit!" he swore out loud, hoping that she hadn't heard it on the other side. Quickly backing away from the house, he ran to his car, threw open the door and headed for the ice-rink. He needed advice, and Eric was the closest in location.

Putting the car in drive, he drove quickly down the winding roads, making his way to the ice rink all the while trying to wrap his head around the fact that Sydney Bristow had a daughter! She'd lied to him. She hadn't told him the whole truth, or any truth at all. He was in an intense state of shock that he parked the car on autopilot in the half-empty lot. Taking a deep breath, an image of the little girl popped into his head and he swore as he hit his fist against his steering wheel. '_The little girl with soft brown hair and dimples from the park. Shit!_' Michael shook his head before jumping out of the car and heading towards the glass doors of the rink to catch Eric.

Pulling the door open, the cold air stoped him in his tracks. Time froze and everything clicked into place for him. The way she was so gentle and motherly with Matty, the way she knew how to put him to sleep so easily and take care of him, the way she kept herself so intricately reserved from everyone around her; closing herself off from ridicule and judgement. And the latest development; her reluctance to attend the school relaxation trip. He had been so blinded by the mystery behind her non-talkative state that he hadn't looked at all the clues around him to piece it together. He was so stupid! She probably thought he was disappointed or disgusted with her.

Turning on his heel, he barely heard Eric yelling out to him from the rink. Racing back to his car he looked at the dashboard and noticed that it was 4:45pm and Becca would be leaving in a half-hour to drop Matty off at the rink. Driving home, he surprised Becca at the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"Uh, just wanted to be with Matty. I bailed on practice." Michael said evasively.

Becca squinted her eyes at him briefly. "You're lying, but I don't care cause that means I get to go home to a very much bouncing**-**back Alex. You can pay me tomorrow," she said, quickly grabbing her jacket and bag and calling out a 'Cya later Matty!'

Michael made his way into the lounge room where Matty sat on the floor playing with his little toy trucks.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Michael lay down on the carpet next to his son and began to revel in the comfort of his presence.

"Who was at the door honey?" Laura asked as she turned around from her position in front of the sink.

Sydney held Abby closely to her side as she stared at her mother.

"What?" Laura asked, grabbing the tea towel next to her to quickly dry her hands. Placing it on the bench top, she rushed to Sydney's side. "What happened?" she asked, leading Sydney to a seat around the kitchen table.

Sydney stared up at her mother. "That was Mr Vaughn, my English teacher." Sydney continued to stare up at her mom with worry and sadness in her eyes. She uttered two words that almost crushed all of Laura's spirit.

"He knows."

Michael sat with his son for an hour and a half. Glancing up at the clock above the TV, he noticed it was almost time for Matty's dinner. Staring back down at his son who was content in smashing his trucks into each other, Michael thought about Sydney. About the fact that she was only at the tender age of 18 and had a two-year old to call her own. He remembered how hard it was for him when Matty's mother had left them. It had been one of the toughest times of his life and he had been older than Sydney when Matty first came along. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like to be pregnant and still in high school. At least at University he would have days off that allowed him to take care of Matty.

The need to apologise over took his body. He hadn't even rung the doorbell to let her know how he was feeling or to even meet her daughter properly. He'd just sworn at her front door and then left to spill her secret to his new friend. Michael shook his head in disgust at himself. When Matty was finally born and people saw him carrying his son around, the whispering and pointing had made him feel like a failure. All he had wanted was acceptance. And he couldn't even give Sydney that. Feeling miserable, he looked down at his son again and made a quick decision.

Figuring he couldn't be bothered to make dinner, he'd grab the two of them some Chinese take-out or McDonalds. He knew that it was probably dinnertime for the Bristow's, but he knew that tomorrow would be too late to apologise. The damage had been done and he had to fix it as fast as possible.

Standing up and brushing himself off, he addressed Matty. "Come on Matty, we're going to visit Sydney," Michael said, picking him up off the floor to take him to the bathroom to get ready.

He changed Matty into a clean pair of overalls with a t-shirt underneath that had _The Wiggles_ on it. It was one of Matty's favourite t-shirts. Slipping Matty's feet into blue mini-Nike's, as Michael had dubbed them, he picked him up and led him outside to the car.

The whole time Matty had been jabbering on about Sydney and what she was doing the other day, her hair colour, how nice she was. Well, at least he was saying something like that from what Michael could tell.

"We go see Dis-ney?" Matty asked as Michael strapped him into the car seat in the back.

"Yep, we're gonna visit Sydney. Daddy wasn't a very good boy today, and I'm going to go and say sorry." Michael said, kissing Matty on the forehead before retreating to the driver's seat.

Matty snuck his hand into his pocket to pull out a miniature toy car.

The drive was short. Very short. Just around two corners and they were there. Although a short ride, Michael's nerves were at peak-performance.

As he unstrapped Matty, and pulled him out of the car and set him on the pavement, Michael shut the door and locked the car.

"Hungwe," Matty said softly as he reached his hand up for Michael's.

"I know, after this, we'll go and get some dinner ok?" Michael responded.

They slowly made their way up to the front walkway where Michael took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

A few long seconds passed as they stood in the night air, waiting. They suddenly heard some heavy feet walk towards the front door. A man answered the door. '_Sydney's Dad._' Michael thought to himself.

There was slight grey in his wavy hair, his eyes flashed with recognition before hardening and masking any emotion. The man's lips pursed slightly as he eyed Michael and then glanced almost uncaringly at Matty.

Pulling Matty closer to his side, in an effort to protect him against this man, Michael cleared his throat.

"Mr Bristow. I'm sorry to bother you and your family. I hope I didn't interrupt your dinner. I'm Mich - " But Michael was cut off.

"I know who you are Mr Vaughn," Jack said in a low, threatening voice. "My wife is just setting the table." There was a pause and Michael wasn't sure whether he should fill it. "Before I decide to invite you, and whom I assume to be your _son_ into my house, I'd like to know what you are doing here." Jack said sternly, his resolve sticking.

That nervousness that Michael had been feeling before was at full force, in conjunction with flat-out fear for this man. "I - " Michael started, but stopped to clear his throat as he heard his voice squeak. "I, uh, I came to apologise to your daughter." That was all Michael would offer him.

Jack stared at him, studying him carefully before taking a step back and opening the door wider as an invitation for the pair to enter the house. "Very well then," he remarked as Michael led Matty into the house.

Jack motioned for them to be seated in the living room. "I'll just get Sydney," Jack said before retreating back to the hallway and using the stairs to ascend them to the next level where Michael supposed Sydney was. Michael watched him disappear behind a wall while Matty struggled to release himself from the grip that Michael had him in.

"Daddy! Skosh me!" Matty grunted.

Michael looked down and immediately released him. "Sorry," Michael apologised.

Matty began to walk around the room, looking at all the neat little things he could play with.

"Matty get back here," Michael whispered as he reached out to grab a hold of his son.

Upstairs, Jack walked to Sydney's room where he knew she was getting Abby ready for dinner. He knocked on her slightly closed door and waited for an inviting "come in" before pushing the door open enough to stick his head around.

Sydney looked up from her bed where she'd dressed Abby in her own pair of overalls with three butterflies on the front. She wore a purple t-shirt beneath and little purple sneakers on her feet.

"Hey Dad. We are just about ready," Sydney said, running a baby brush through Abby's waves.

"Oh, that's ok. Don't rush. You didn't change all of her did you?" he asked as he spied Abby on her back blowing bubbles.

"No, just her diaper. I'll be down in a sec," Sydney said, standing up properly.

"Well, your English teacher is downstairs. He came by, says he wants to talk to you for a minute." Jack told her and watched as she froze a little.

"He brought what seems to be his son," Jack commented candidly.

"Matty!" Sydney exclaimed with a smile.

Jack stared at Sydney. "Right," he said before turning and leaving her to finish off before dinner.

Sydney breathed deeply before brushing her own hair and putting shoes on her feet. She picked up Abby and put her on her hip. "Come on Abby, there's someone for you to play with downstairs."

As Sydney began to make her way downstairs with Abby, she stopped and spied Mr Vaughn trying to get Matty to drop the potpourri back into its bowl.

"Come on Matty. Drop it." She heard him say.

"No," Matty replied defiantly.

Sydney smiled when she finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Placing Abby on the floor next to her, she held onto her small hand.

"Matty. Now." Michael tried again. He hadn't seen Sydney descending the stairs as his back was to her. Matty saw her though.

"Disney!" And before running off to hug her, he dropped the dried flowers into Michael's outstretched hands.

Matty ran to Sydney and attached himself to her leg as Abby giggled beside them. "Hello," Sydney said, threading her fingers through his hair.

Michael shot up from his crouched position and fumbled with the dried flowers in his hands to put them back before she knew anything had happened. Shoving it back into the bowl hurriedly he turned around, wiping his hands on his pants.

"Syd."


	17. Chapter 16: Dinner and Bed

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the delay in the update… I have been teaching year three for the past 5 weeks – loving it but it has made me tired and very very busy. That and I'm organising my student exchange to the USA in August.

Part Sixteen:

"Mr. Vaughn," she said in reply as she continued to hold onto Abby and run her fingers through Matty's hair.

"Hi," he said nervously, stepping forward.

"Hi," Sydney replied with a smile as she noticed how nervous he was.

Looking around the room briefly, trying to avoid her eyes, Michael began to explain his presence. "I'm sorry to barge in like this. I just came to apologise," he said as he finally met her eyes.

She looked at him curiously.

"Apologise for my reaction. I should have reacted better. I probably looked like a fish standing at your front door with my mouth hanging open." He paused for a few seconds to look down at his shoes before letting his gaze fall on his son. "I should really thank you for taking care of Matty so well. I wondered how you were so experienced. I suppose I have my answer now," he said with a slight chuckle.

Sydney blushed.

"I hope you'll accept my apology. I didn't mean for my reaction to reflect negatively on you or your beautiful daughter. I hope you understand that it was my fault and I take full responsibility for my actions," he explained, taking another step closer.

Sydney looked down at her daughter, who was staring at Matty. "Thank you," Sydney finally said, accepting his apology.

There was silence between the pair before Matty broke it. "Hungwe!" he demanded, looking at his father pointedly.

"It's ok Matty, we'll go and get some dinner." Michael said as he walked up to the three of them and caught Matty's hand in his own. Meeting Sydney's gaze, that was only two feet away from his, he spoke to her softly. "We better get going. Ronald McDonald is expecting our presence." he said with a small smile.

Just as he stepped aside toward the front door, Sydney stopped him. "You should stay for dinner," she offered softly.

Michael paused, his back facing her. He actually toyed with the idea before turning around to face her with a sincere smile on his lips. "Thank you for the invitation, but Matty and I don't want to intrude," Michael said as he turned back to head towards the front door.

"Leaving so soon Mr Vaughn?" Jack Bristow asked from the doorway leading into the kitchen. Michael turned to look at Mr. Bristow. He suddenly didn't seem so scary with a dishtowel in his hands and a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Well, Matty hasn't eaten," Michael answered as way of reason.

"Laura, my wife, she's already set two more places at the table," Jack paused. "You aren't going to make her put it all back again are you?" Jack asked before turning and heading into the kitchen without letting Michael answer.

Michael stared at the empty doorway before looking at Sydney, who seemed to have an amused expression on her face.

"Sorry about my dad, you don't have to stay if you don't want to. There's plenty of food though," Sydney offered before giving him a brief smile and turning to head towards the kitchen, glancing back at Michael a few times. Secretly hoping he'd stay and terrified that he would.

"Ah, Michael! We meet again," Laura said as she spotted the nervous man standing in her kitchen, his son by his side.

"Lau – Mrs. Bristow. It's nice to see you again," Michael said with an awkward smile.

Sydney looked between her mother and her teacher for a few seconds with confusion. Laura, spotting Sydney's befuddled expression, attempted to clear things up. "Mr. Vaughn and I met a few weeks back, at the park," she said, picking up a dish and heading towards the table with it.

"Oh," Sydney said as she began to strap Abby into her high chair. She spotted Michael looking around the table searching for what she thought might be Matty's place at the table. "I think Dad just went to get the booster seat from the dining room. Abby doesn't use it very much yet," Sydney said as she finished up with her daughter and kissed her head.

Michael nodded and sat down on the chair next to Abby and sat Matty in his lap, waiting for the seat for him.

Sydney went to help her mom bring over a few more dishes to the table. "Do you need any help?" Michael asked as he began to stand up.

"No, it's ok. We're almost done anyway," Sydney replied with a small smile before sitting down on the other side of Abby.

Soon enough, Jack returned with a seat for Matty and they began to eat in a slightly awkward atmosphere.

Jack broke the silence, "So Michael, you're how old?" He asked before forking some cauliflower into his mouth.

"Dad!" Sydney exclaimed. It was none of their business how old he was. He was her teacher, it didn't matter.

"It's ok. I'm 22," he answered, glancing at his son who was making a mess of his dinner.

"That's… young," Jack stated bluntly.

Michael just smiled awkwardly. He didn't really feel like getting into his past, especially with people he didn't know well enough.

"Abby!" Sydney exclaimed as she caught a carrot before it sailed across the table.

Michael looked up and caught Sydney wiping Abby's mouth and hands before pulling her plate away from her. Cutting the vegetables into smaller pieces, she began to feed Abby, who'd become restless with lack of sleep.

In between Abby's bites, Sydney took one or two bites of her own meal. Michael looked over at Matty and realised how tired his son really was as he began to doze right there at the table. Michael picked Matty up and settled him into his lap, his head nestled into Michael's shoulder and Michael continued to eat with one hand as he lulled his son to sleep.

Laura watched the pair discreetly. It seemed as though Michael Vaughn might be one of the only people in Sydney's life that really understood the situation she was in. Trying to calculate the math in her head quickly, she deduced that Michael was about 18 when Matty was born. She quickly smiled at Sydney who was struggling to get Abby to settle down.

"Do you want me to take her?" Laura asked as Abby threw another piece of food at the table.

"Abigail Kiara Bristow! We don't throw food at the table!" Sydney admonished with a stern voice. "What do you say to everyone?" Sydney asked as she stared at her daughter, waiting for the appropriate response.

Abby looked around at the table, "Sowee," she said, softly looking down at the table.

"Thank you," Sydney said softly to her daughter. Abby looked up and around the table; her grandparents smiled at her reassuringly. She turned her innocent eyes to father and son on her left and held her arms out for Michael to take her.

"Abby, come on, I think its time for bed." Sydney said as she stood up and began to unstrap Abby out of her seat.

And then the crying began. Abby protested when her mother began to pull her out of the seat, she wanted to be held by the man next to her.

Sydney stood frozen as her daughter rejected her. Guilt and sadness settled on her heart. Her daughter had rarely rejected her, especially so explicitly.

Michael, catching the look on her face and recognizing it as one he'd had when Matty had chosen to go to Sydney last week, stood up and offered his help. "How about you take Matty and I'll take Abby? Matty's almost asleep, but I'm sure he'd love to be with you for a while," Michael offered as he began to pull Matty away from him.

Jack narrowed his stare at the man and Laura tapped him on the shoulder. "Jack, help me get dessert," Laura said, tugging at his sleeve as she stood up to clear the table.

"Fine," Jack ground out before helping his wife while keeping watch on his daughter and her awfully young teacher.

"Are you sure?" Sydney asked him as she took Matty into her own arms. Matty gripped onto her, his small fist curled around the soft fabric of her top, before he buried his face snugly into her neck where he breathed out and fell instantly asleep.

"I wouldn't offer otherwise," Michael said, taking Abby out of her high chair and holding her against his chest. She looked up at him with a grin, her dimples showing. He smiled down at her, noticing the dimples. "She's got such cute dimples," Michael said observing the girl in his arms before glancing up at Sydney quickly.

"She got that from her mother," Sydney answered with a smile that displayed her own pair of dimples.

"I can see," Michael said with a grin.

Sydney blushed as she soothingly rubbed Matty's back.

"You boy?" Abby's little voice asked from her position on Michael's chest.

Michael grinned down at her. "Yep," he answered as he brought his index finger up to tap the tip of her tiny nose.

Abby giggled in response, ducking her head down.

Michael felt warmth spread throughout his body as he held this small innocent child in his arms. He couldn't wait for the day that he'd get married and have his own daughter. He'd have a son iand/i a daughter iand/i a loving wife. God, he hoped so.

"Mom go school," Abby said, fiddling with one of the buttons on his shirt.

Michael smiled once again as he noticed the same phrasing as Matty. "Really? Mom went to school?" he asked her.

"T'day," Abby answered with a nod.

"I went to school today as well," Michael said, keeping the conversation going.

"You go school?" Abby asked with wide eyes, as if she understood the meaning of school.

"Yep," Michael answered with a nod of his own.

Abby studied him for a few seconds. "Wow," she said with wonderment.

Sydney giggled from her seat across the table. Michael met her gaze briefly before returning his attention back to Abby.

Raising a fist up to rub one of her eyes, she laid her head down on his chest, snuggling down in his lap to sleep.

"I think she likes you," Sydney commented. "She's usually very talkative and likes everyone, but she wanted to sit with you tonight. She doesn't do that with just anyone."

"Well, then I feel especially honoured." Michael commented as he ran his index finger over the soft skin of the back of Abby's hand.

Laura, noticing that the children had finally settled down, and realising she had no other job to keep Jack busy from interrupting the pair, introduced dessert.

"And for dessert, we have some apple pie," she said placing it on the table. Jack placed the plates and cutlery next to the pie.

"Thank you very much Mr. and Mrs. Bristow for dinner and dessert, but I really must get going. I've definitely overstayed my welcome and I have to get up early tomorrow for work," Michael said as he lifted himself out of his chair, still holding Abby tightly in his arms.

"Well Michael, it was definitely nice having you for dinner," Laura said as Jack looked at the man warily. "Sydney, why don't you show Michael where to put Abby down for the night?" Laura suggested, hoping to get Jack away from Michael for a bit longer.

"Sure," Sydney said, also standing up from her chair, holding Matty tightly in her arms. She walked out of the kitchen, towards the hallway and up the stairs. Each held tightly onto the child in their arms as they silently made their way up to the second story.

Sydney, trying to remember the state of her room, she turned to tell him, "I want to apologise in advance for the state of my room." She said before leading him to her room.

'Her room!' Michael screamed at himself. He was just asking for trouble.

When she kicked the door open he immediately noticed the double bed and the crib, the changing table, the children's dresser, the adult dresser, the desk, the night light. He realised what an idiot he had been, thinking she was leading him to her room. Well, she was, but it was also Abby's.

He walked behind her towards the crib and placed Abby gently inside, tucking the covers around her. He brushed some of her hair away from her forehead before running his thumb over the side of her cheek.

"Thanks," Sydney whispered. They turned towards each other and, from the glow of the night-light, he saw her small smile.

"It's ok. I should really be thanking you. He's very attached to you, you know? When I was changing him earlier, he wouldn't stop talking about you. At least, I'm pretty sure it was you he was talking about," he said with a small chuckle.

Sydney blushed and a silence fell over the pair for a few seconds.

Stepping closer to Mr. Vaughn, she began to hand Matty over to him. Michael stepped in close. If not for Matty, their chests would be less than a foot apart. Sliding his hand between Matty and Sydney, he extracted his son and held him close.

"Thanks," Michael whispered, looking down into her eyes.

"Thanks," Sydney replied, looking up at him.

Taking a quick step back, knowing exactly where that was all going, he nodded before heading towards her door to leave. Quickly checking that Abby was ok, she left the room, following him as he made his way to the front door.

Sydney opened the door for him, and just before he stepped outside, she stopped him by placing her soft hand on his arm. She leaned in towards him and kissed Matty on the head near his ear before whispering a 'goodnight' to him.

"Night," Michael said, leaving the house. Sydney watched as he strapped a sleeping Matty in the back and drove off.

TBC…


	18. Chapter 17: A Forced Meeting

Part Seventeen:

Michael had endured a full day of classes and was looking forward to the short ride home that he was currently preparing for. Writing a few more comments on the few papers left, he heard the distinct sound of his classroom door clicking open.

Without looking up from his marking, he addressed the intruder. "How can I help you?" he asked in a friendly manner, knowing that he was still on duty. Still keeping his head down, he needed to only wait briefly for a reply, which both bothered and startled him, causing him to turn his head towards the new occupant in such a hurry he might have caused himself whiplash.

"Mr. Vaughn," the stern voice of none other than Jack Bristow said from just inside the doorway.

Michael's eyes were met with the sight of Sydney's father in a black suit, with an equally dark tie, and a long, heavy coat that hung down to his ankles. Michael didn't want to entertain the thought of what Mr. Bristow could possibly be hiding in there. The fact that it was a surprisingly warm day, and one didn't _need_ a coat, added to his fears.

"Mr. Bristow!" Michael said in an almost squeak, standing up from his chair with rapid speed. "How – uh, how can I help you?" he asked, looking around the room in an effort to find eyewitnesses.

"I came to have an important discussion with you about my daughter," Jack said, taking a few short steps into the room.

Michael stood stock still for a few sort moments until he realised that Mr. Bristow wasn't going to continue. "Would you – uh – like a seat?" he asked nervously as he began to twiddle the pen in his left hand, around with his fingers, in an effort to _try_ and remain focused on what was being said.

"This shouldn't take long," Jack said, taking another step closer to Michael. Glancing down at the nervous act Michael was performing with his left hand, Jack began.

"Sydney revealed to us about the retreat that the school is forcing the students to attend. Sydney's refusal to attend is, as you have hopefully guessed, due to her daughter. Laura and I are prepared to take Abby for the duration, but there may be some unforseen _events_ that will no doubt leave Sydney needing the presence of her daughter. I have already spoken to Principal Andrews and he has agreed that Abby will be brought up to stay with Sydney if there are any _problems_," Jack paused to take a step back, retreating from the classroom. "I only discuss this with you as I have been told that you are attending, with your son no less, and in an effort to not insult your intelligence, I expect you to demonstrate your understanding of the delicate situation without my presence," Jack stated dryly before quickly retreating from the classroom, leaving Michael Vaughn exhaling harshly from the encounter.

When he was sure he was alone, Michael flopped down into his chair, checking his lap to make sure he hadn't had an accident, before sighing with relief.

"He's really that scary?" Eric asked, passing the puck over to Michael.

Michael stood on the ice, his gloved hand on his hip, the other clutching his hockey stick. "Have you ever seen _Beauty and the Beast_?" Michael asked, watching Eric skate around him.

"Er – maybe," Eric answered, his eyes darting around the rink making sure no one was around to hear their conversation. Michael shot Eric a look. "Ok, so fine, I may have seen it a few dozen times, but that was only because of the new release of the DVD," Eric said hurriedly, stopping on the ice in front of Michael.

"He's like the prince," Michael said, staring at his friend as if his statement cleared it all up.

Eric looked befuddled for a moment. "Wait, wasn't the prince nice? You know, dashing and handsome and all that? I thought you said Jack Bristow was scary," Eric commented, turning around on his skates to watch his friend skate around him with the puck and shooting it into the unguarded net.

"He is scary. I mean, the prince before he became the prince again. You know, the Beast. Like at the beginning of the movie. You know, the way he's cruel to Belle's father. He's scary like that," Michael explained, turning to look at Eric.

"But the Beast was nice to Belle after a little while. The playing in the snow, that was a very cute scene," Eric said, still confused as ever.

"But that is exactly what I mean. Last night he answered the door as the beast and then at dinner he was the beast in the snow scene. It's really disconcerting," Michael exclaimed.

"Wait, you had dinner with the Bristow's? Where was the little tyke?" Eric asked, the fog slowly lifting.

"I took Matty with me. I just went to apologise – uh – about something, and then I got sucked into the house, and in ten minutes I found myself sitting at their kitchen table eating dinner," Michael began to skate over to the edge, but paused briefly, "It was really… scary."

Eric followed his friend off the ice and sat down on the benches with him. "So, what happened this afternoon then?" he asked before drinking heavily from his water bottle.

"I don't even remember half of the one-sided conversation. I was too busy making sure I didn't piss my pants in front of him." Eric shot Michael a 'what!' look. "I'm serious, after he left I checked to make sure I hadn't peed myself. I felt like Stephanie Plum from that book series by Janet Evanovich," Michael said with a shake of his head.

"What? Who the hell is Stephanie Plum? What the hell does she have to do with the Bristows, or _Beauty and the Beast_ for that matter?" Eric asked, losing complete track of the conversation.

"Eric, buddy, you _really_ gotta venture more out of the cooking books," Michael replied before they both returned to getting their gear packed up before Becca dropped Matty off.

"So a few dozen times?" Michael asked with a smirk as he glanced over at Eric.

"Ok, so maybe 36 is _three_ dozen times. But come on… 'Be Our Guest'? That is the best song and you know it," Eric stated emphatically.

"As I'm sure you are all aware, you have a two week break starting the end of this week. Now, I know most of you think that this will be a great opportunity to _indulge_ yourselves," Michael began, his eyes looked pointedly at Kevin, who blushed. "But, I want to remind you, midterms are only a few short weeks away."

He pushed himself off his desk and walked around it to collect a stack of booklets he made for the class. "What I'm about to give to each one of you is a compilation of worksheets, essay questions, short answer questions, research assignments, resources, checklists – basically a whole assortment of activities to keep you completely and utterly busy during the holidays," Michael explained, much to the disappointment of the rest of the class. "Doesn't it sound like fun?" he asked with a grin.

Walking to the front row, he handed a few to the first person in the end aisle, and a few to the first person in the second aisle, and so on until he reached Sydney. "Ah! Almost forgot," he said with a smile before going back to his desk and rifling through a few pieces of paper until he found another booklet, smaller in thickness. "Sydney, I put this together. It's got a few other books to look at and different variants on the essay questions in the other booklet. I also have a list of other mediums in here that you could use for the topic we discussed," he explained as he quickly checked all the pages and walked over to her.

A few suspicious glances in her direction created a tornado of nerves to move about her stomach.

Michael spent the rest of the lesson explaining what he expected from the students when they came back from their break. He then allowed them some time to have a look through the booklets and answered any questions they may have had.

Glancing up at the clock, noticing there were five minutes left, he walked over to Sydney. "Hey," he said in way of greeting.

Sydney offered him a nervous smile as her eyes darted around the classroom to the other occupants, noticing a few staring at them curiously.

"So, I thought if you're free next period we could work out a time table for your extra credit," he offered as he squatted down next to her desk.

Sydney let her eyes shift to her tabletop where her booklet lay open to a random page. She just nodded her head to acknowledge that she heard him. Breathing in slowly and shakily, she caught a whiff of his scent. Whether it was cologne or just him, she fought to keep her eyes open and not react to the calming effect she felt as the scent surrounded her.

"Wonderful," he had replied before standing up and walking to his desk to retrieve something. Sydney felt the cold hard reality when he walked away; his scent lingered for only a few seconds before she felt tense once again and avoided the inquisitive stares her classmates were throwing her way.

TBC….


	19. Chapter 18: Parks and Plans

Part Eighteen:

"Why don't you come and visit on the first week of break?" Michael asked into the telephone as he swivelled around in his office chair to watch Matty play with his car keys.

"Two weeks," he answered the question from the other end.

"Mom, it's fine, I'll set up the spare bedroom for you," he said with a smile as he got up off the chair and walked over to sit down with Matty on the carpet floor of his office.

"Matty will be thrilled to have you around," Michael said with a smile as he snatched the keys out of Matty's fingers, hiding them behind his back with a grin.

Matty looked up at him with a shocked expression before head-butting Michael's chest to make Michael give him the keys. Michael laughed in response.

"Sorry Mom, I was listening – I'm just playing around with Matty at the same time," he said, giving in to his son and handing over the keys.

"Ok, ok," Michael said with a roll of his eyes.

"I didn't roll my eyes!" Michael said, sounding offended.

"Fine, I'll see you next week then," Michael said. "Ok, bye," he said, ending the conversation and hanging up the phone with a click of a button.

Michael looked down at his son, "come on Matty, let's go grab some lunch and head to the park." He said, picking Matty up off the ground and walking through the house to the front door. Passing through the front hallway, Michael picked up his keys, a baseball hat for himself, a tiny version of his for Matty, and his wallet.

"Mom? We're on our way out," Sydney said, walking Abby and herself into the lounge room where her mother lay on one of the couches drinking coffee and re-reading a Charles Dickens classic.

"That's good," she replied, distracted, her eyes never moving from the lines she was reading.

Sydney smiled. Walking towards her mother, she bent over and kissed her on the top of her head and whispered an 'I love you' before leaving the house, a camera in one hand and one of Abby's tiny hands in the other.

Sydney and Abby made their way slowly down the sidewalks and to the park where Sydney headed towards the sandbox that she knew Abby loved so much. Setting her daughter in the sand, she made her way over to the bench that her mother and Mr. Vaughn had used a few weeks prior. Tucking a leg underneath her other knee, she slowly sat down and pulled her camera out of its case and took the cover off the lens. Turning the camera on, she looked through it and used her left hand to focus and zoom in on her daughter, now thoroughly covered in sand. Catching her daughter giggling to herself, she snapped the image onto the film in the camera and caught the moment.

She'd taken up the hobby of photography soon after she found out she was pregnant with Abby. It made for a healthy release when she felt stressed, frustrated, or even depressed. She was using one of the school's cameras at the time and went to the park near her house after school and took photos in colour, and black and white, of the children playing, of the elderly couples reminiscing on the benches by the pond, and even of the insects that inhabited the area. It wasn't until Laura had come across a stack of photos in Sydney's room when they were clearing room for the baby that her secret hobby came out. Three weeks later, her parents had bought her a camera of her own.

Looking through the camera again, she took a few more photos of her daughter before sitting back on the bench and just watching her for a little while.

A presence beside her caused her to turn her gaze towards the person sharing the bench with her to find none other than Mr. Vaughn himself.

"Hey," he greeted her with a small smile before leaning back against the bench.

"Hi," she replied softly, shyly. She pushed back a few loose pieces of hair and tucked them behind her ear before returning her gaze back to Abby, who she now saw was playing with Matty. She pulled her camera up to her face quickly and shot a few more shots of Matty, Abby and Matty playing together, and a few more of Abby. Pulling the camera away from her face, she blushed as she realised that she'd just taken photos of her teacher's son. Turning toward him with a blush tinting her cheeks, she motioned towards her camera, "Uh, sorry. Do you mind?" She asked softly, letting her gaze fall briefly back to the kids.

Michael looked over at the camera and smiled back at Sydney. "It's fine, as long as I get copies. My mother is the photographer in the family. I haven't taken many photos of Matty in a while," Michael replied, absent-mindedly wiping his sweaty hands on his jean-clad thighs.

"Thanks," she replied quickly before turning back to the kids to take a few more shots.

Michael tried to think of a few things to say to start a conversation, but everything he thought to say sounded wrong. Frowning at himself, he was slightly startled when she was the one to strike up a conversation.

"Er, Abby's birthday is during the break. She'll, um, she's turning three," Sydney began, glancing over at her daughter, quickly checking on her. "I thought maybe Matty might want to come to the party. There'll hardly be any kids there. Just a few friends of mine and both my parents will be there as well. You're welcome to come too. Of course, that's if you don't have anything else to do," Sydney continued on rambling about how he probably had lots planned over the break and probably didn't have the time to come to a kid's birthday party.

Michael smiled as he heard Sydney keep rambling on and on, perhaps this time it was going to be him that will interrupt her. "Syd," he said her name, trying to gain her attention, and yet she continued to ramble.

"Syd," he said a little more forcefully, which had the desired effect. She immediately shut her mouth and blushed as she realised she had been rambling. "We'd be happy to come," he answered with a grin, smiling at her discomfort.

"Oh," she said softly with a small smile. "You don't have to bring a present or anything, and well, I think the only kids there will be Matty and Abby," she offered before feeling her cheeks heat up at how little of friends Abby had.

"No, that's fine," Michael replied understandingly. Matty had one friend his age, and Michael supposed it was probably Abby and they had played together maybe once. "Actually, Matty's birthday was last week, but he doesn't have any friends, and I'm new here, well, sort of new, and we actually didn't have a party," Michael said slowly and softly as he realised what a bad father he was. He couldn't give his son a birthday party for his third birthday. He felt uncomfortable now, sitting there next to one of his students who was organising a small party for her daughter's third birthday.

"Well," Sydney started off nervously, "did – did you want to have a joint one with Abby then?" she asked rather quickly. "I mean, no pressure or anything, but we wouldn't mind. I – I mean, you could invite your friends as well and Matty would also have had a party then," she said in a rush, trying to justify why it would be a good idea to have a joint party for the kids.

Michael looked over at his son and suddenly felt extremely guilty. He hadn't had time to organise anything for Matty, and now, looking at his son that hadn't even realised he'd missed a birthday, he made his decision. Turning his head toward Sydney, he smiled in gratitude, "Thanks, I think I'll take you up on the offer."

Sydney smiled back, her dimples showing before she blushed again. She quickly averted her gaze over to her daughter, just to break the staring match between her and Mr. Vaughn. Feeling her heart beating rapidly beneath her chest, she smiled widely.

"Daddy!" Matty yelled with a grin as he pushed himself up off the ground and ran towards Mr. Vaughn. Sydney watched with a smile and a small ache in her heart. She quickly snapped a photo of Mr. Vaughn holding Matty in the air above him, their foreheads touching and smiling at each other. She hoped one day that Abby had someone to call daddy. Looking over at her daughter, she laughed as she saw Abby with sand on her cheeks, and in the pockets of her pink pants, and Sydney could only imagine where else the sand was.

Pushing herself up off the bench, she made her way to her daughter and picked her up out of the sandbox, watching as sand trickled down her clothes and hair, back into the box. Carrying her back to the bench where she spied Mr. Vaughn attempting to get Matty to sit still enough to get rid of most of the sand, she stood Abby on the bench and moved quickly to pack up her camera before returning to her daughter's aide.

"Ok gorgeous, let's look at you," Sydney said with a smile, bending over slightly to look her daughter in the eye.

Abby grinned back and thrust her hands toward Sydney's face. "Ah! There we go," Sydney said as she began to wipe the sand off Abby's hands and arms. Moving to her face, she made sure to get any sand that was near Abby's eyes. Moving her face close to Abby's, they smiled at each other before rubbing noses affectionately. "All beautiful again," Sydney whispered before placing a quick kiss on Abby's nose.

"Huggle?" she asked, raising her arms up and smiling.

"Always," Sydney replied, picking Abby up and holding her tightly to her chest.

Michael watched silently from beside her as she interacted with her daughter. He'd never seen anyone so gentle and caring and loving toward his or her child. Matty's mother couldn't even wait to get him out of her so she could run away and live the easy life. _'One day Matty, you'll have a mom just like that. I promise.'_ Michael thought to himself.

TBC…


	20. Chapter 19: I Didn't Know You Had A Son!

**Author's Note: Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the delay in the following parts. I do in fact have many more written but I have been teaching third grade for six weeks plus holidays and I flew into LA today and am buggered as hell. I thought I'd be nice though and give you two new parts. Enjoy. **

**Also, a big big thanks to Emma from Sweden who sent me a PM. Thank you for all the kind words and I'm sorry that my email didn't work. In response to some of your questions, I think I know kids pretty well. I don't have any of my own just yet, but I have been babysitting large families since I was 14 and am in my third year at university studying to be a Primary School Teacher. In answer to whether this was all a creation of my mind? You bet it is. I did get a semi-idea of Sydney having a child from a Roswell fanfiction I read many eons ago, but after that similarity it's been all mine and I'm glad that you like it so much.**

**And for everyone, there are more parts – up to 49 I think that have been posted at http/ under Spyless S/V Fanfiction. There are many threads but all the links to them are in my signature on there.  Happy Hunting.**

Part Nineteen:

The sound of the doorbell rang throughout the house causing a puzzled look to cross over Sydney's face. Walking down the stairs towards the front door, she reached out and grasped the handle in her right hand and pulled the wooden door open.

'Shocked' was too soft a word for what Sydney was feeling now.

"What are you doing here!" Sydney yelled, the expression on her face clearly showing her joy and surprise at the pair standing in front of her. Greeting her guests in a bone-crushing hug, she quickly ushered them inside the house.

"I thought we were picking you up," Sydney said, her hands on her hips, a large grin spread across her face.

"Well, we thought this would be a better surprise," Francie replied before squealing and dropping her bags on the floor by her feet and launching herself into Sydney's arms. "God Sydney! You look great!" Francie exclaimed, pulling away to look at her best friend for a second before grabbing her back into their third bone-crushing hug.

"Hey Sydney," Will said with a grin as he carefully set his bags on the floor.

Francie let go of Sydney before Will pulled her into a firm, but gentle, hug. "How are you?" He asked softly.

"I'm doing ok. What about you two?" Sydney asked as they stepped out of the embrace.

"Glad we've got a short break. I can tell you that much," Francie replied with a roll of her eyes and a grin.

"I can't believe you guys are here," Sydney said with a smile before she ushered them upstairs to put their things into their respective rooms.

"Ok, so where's my little munchkin of a niece?" Francie asked, looking around Sydney and Abby's room.

Sydney took a seat on the chair at her desk, where it was evident she had been doing homework before her guests had arrived. "Mom took her to the park. She was getting restless and I really needed to finish off this thing for math before I lost the motivation to do it," Sydney answered with a smile.

"I sure hope you taught her to say Aunt _Francie_," Francie replied with a mock glare.

"You'll just have to see," Sydney replied with a grin.

"Nice," Will butted in with a smirk. Francie shot him a real glare.

"Come on, let's walk to the park and see if we can catch them before they head back," Sydney said, pulling her shoes on.

"I'll just grab my wallet," Will answered, leaving the room quickly.

Francie waited until Will was out of the room before returning her gaze back to Sydney. "So?" She questioned.

Sydney looked up at her in confusion. "So, what?"

"Mr. English Teacher. Tell me more about him. You barely told me anything about him on the phone," Francie practically whined.

Sydney let a small smile appear on her lips. She decided to screw around a little with Francie, "We had dinner together the other night."

Francie's brown eyes almost bugged out of her head. "Wh-What?" She spluttered out, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Michael and I had dinner," Sydney clarified, purposefully using his first name. Hiding a smile, she stood up and walked towards her closet to grab a thin jacket to wear over her t-shirt.

"Michael?" Francie questioned, her eyes still bugging out of her head.

"Yep, it was a really cosy dinner. Michael, me, Abby, his son, mom, and dad," Sydney replied while turning back to face Francie with a big grin.

Francie sat in shock for a few seconds. "Are you serious?" Francie asked finally.

"Yep."

"We ready to get going?" Will asked, poking his head into to the room.

"Mm-hmm," Sydney replied before walking towards the doorway.

"Aun Fanny!" A little brunette girl squealed from the sandbox.

Francie shot Sydney a glare. Holding her hands up in surrender, she stated her innocence, "I tried. Really," Sydney recalled the day before when she tried to coax Abby into pronouncing her 'R's.

I"Ok, when we see Aunt Francie, what do you say?" Sydney questioned her daughter who was a little pre-occupied with the zipper on her mother's jacket.

"Aun Fanny."

"Can you try and say Francie?" Sydney asked in that typical baby tone all people used when around children.

"Fanny," her daughter replied with a grin, her dimples clearly visible.

"Francie?"

"Fanny!"

"Oh boy," Sydney mumbled as she quickly gave up./I

"I thought we were picking you two up later," Laura said with a smile as she got up off her bench and hugged her daughter's two best friends.

"Hi Mrs. Bristow. We're sorry, we wanted to surprise Sydney so we caught an earlier bus and took a taxi from the bus depot," Francie replied, stepping away from her embrace with Sydney's mom.

"Hi. We hope we didn't inconvenience you or Mr. Bristow," Will added with a quick hug.

"Now, how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Mrs. Bristow? I keep fighting the urge to look around for Jack's mother. Which we all know is an impossibility," Laura said with a smile.

Sydney listened to the conversation with only one ear as she walked over to her daughter and began to play with her in the sandbox.

"Hi Mommy," Abby greeted with a smile before pulling herself up to waddle over to her mom. Sitting herself down in Sydney's lap, the two began to play with the sand.

Will watched mother and daughter interact and he smiled. Next to him, his girlfriend, Francie, was having an animated conversation with Sydney's mom. Ignoring the pair, he continued to watch the other pair in the sand.

His heart went out to them. Soon was Abby's third birthday and it had seemed as if it were only yesterday that Sydney had given birth to her in a hospital bed down in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He remembered sitting in the waiting room with Francie and Mr. Bristow while Mrs. Bristow was taking care of Sydney in the hospital room. It had been a long and tiring birth for everyone, in particular, Sydney. She'd lost a lot of blood during the birth and had to have a blood transfusion. She was so drained of energy, she couldn't even hold Abby until two days after her birth. Mrs. Bristow had to help Sydney breastfeed Abby, as she could barely keep her eyes open, let alone hold her child.

Abby had been a heavy little thing. She'd weighed just over nine pounds and was inquisitive. The doctors told them Abby came out looking around at her surroundings and talking baby talk already. It seemed Sydney gave birth to another Bristow genius.

Abby's father couldn't be there that night; he was playing a football game out of town. It had taken a long time for Will to accept him as Abby's father. He'd been suspicious about how it had all happened, but Sydney had been adamant that he hadn't forced himself upon her. Will had ultimately dropped the issue, stubbornly.

Snapping back to reality, Will continued to watch Sydney build a sand castle with Abby; sand tumbling every which way, causing an eruption of giggles from the pair.

"So, have we got a list of things we need to get for the party?" Francie asked while towel drying her hair.

Sydney looked up from the pad of paper in her lap to watch her friend at the end of the bed. "Yeah, I think that's everything," Sydney said, handing the paper over to Francie.

Quickly reading the list, she noticed that there were going to be blue streamers as well as purple. "Uh, Sydney, why are we getting blue streamers? Abby's favourite colour hasn't changed already has it?" Francie questioned, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Sydney flushed red and averted her eyes away from Francie. She'd neglected to tell either Francie or Will that Mr. Vaughn and Matty were coming to celebrate Matty's birthday as well. "Well, it turns out the party, well, it's going to be a joint one," Sydney finally replied, still refusing to meet Francie's stare.

"With who?" Francie asked, making her way up the bed to sit facing Sydney.

"You don't know him. It's a friend of Abby's. Matty. That's his name," Sydney explained shyly, while purposefully excluding the more important information.

Francie eyed Sydney carefully. "You're not telling me everything," she voiced her observations. "But don't worry. I'll find out whatever it is." And with that said, Francie got up to bid goodnight to Will in the room down the hall.

Sydney sighed a breath of relief when she was sure Francie had left the room. She'd been able to offer some of the truth, but not all of it. _'Why am I not telling her its Mr. Vaughn's son? It's not like it'll be a big deal, except for the fact the school would see it slightly different.'_ Sydney rolled her eyes and left the bed to check on a sleeping Abby.

Amélie Vaughn looked around the terminal for her son and grandson. With her handbag clutched tightly in her right hand, her blue eyes gazed around the area. People were everywhere; it was almost impossible to see the ugly vomit-green carpet on the floor two feet in front of her face.

"Mom!" She heard a male voice scream out. She turned toward the voice, searching for its origin. She spotted a dirty blonde head of hair running in her direction, a small child held tightly against his chest.

"Michel!" She cried, a mile wide smile etched on her face.

Fighting the compulsion to drop her things and run towards her son, she fidgeted on the spot instead.

Michael shoved through the crowd, bumping into a rather large man with an odour that made Michael want to hurl right there.

Reaching his mother a few seconds later, he engulfed her in a one-armed hug.

"My grandson! He's so big!" Amélie said, her joy very evident in her tone. Pretty much shoving Michael out of the way, she took Matty in her arms and began showering kisses all of over his face.

"Michael…" Amélie began, trying to speak her sentence between kisses. "You… need to…. send… more… photos!"

"I know Mom," Michael answered as he watched his son begin to giggle under the attack from his grandmother. "Come on, let's grab your luggage and head back to the house," Michael said with a smile as he placed a gentle hand on his mother's back.

"I thought you said you'd fixed up the spare room?" Amélie asked her son as she helped him with the cover sheet for the bed.

Michael blushed before casting a glance behind him to see Matty playing with some toy trucks. "Well, I was able to clean it up, but kind of got distracted when it got to making the bed."

"I forgive you," Amélie replied with a smile. Watching her son and the small smile she'd seen on his face since he'd picked her up from the airport, "what's her name?" Amélie asked with a knowing smile.

Michael's breath caught in his throat. "Her… her name?" Michael asked, uncomfortably.

"Yes, her name. I've been watching you very closely and you're hiding something from me," Amélie replied. "You told me work has been good to you, you've made some friends, you're on the Staff Hockey Team, and Matty's been doing really well and has made a few friends. The only thing you haven't told me is about your love life. Michael, you're my son and I just want you to be happy," she explained with a soft tone. Taking a seat on the unfinished bed, Michael followed her action. Turning his back to his mother, he sat on the edge of the bed, watching Matty.

"Does she know about Matty?" Amélie asked. Being a single father at 22 was not something she'd thought any son of hers would have to go through, but the reality was that you could only guide your children as much as they would let you, and then there comes a time when you need to step back and let them be who they want to be. If a woman wasn't proud to be seen with her son and grandson, then she wasn't worth it.

Michael found himself answering his mother before he could stop himself, "Yeah and Matty really loves her. She's great with him."

Amélie smiled softly at her son, but she knew he was hiding something bigger. "Well, when will I get to meet her?"

Michael paused for a few seconds. Yes, his mother would meet Sydney, but she was his student. Yes, his mother would love Sydney, but she was his student. Yes, his mother would see how great Sydney was with Matty, how great she was with her own daughter, but still, she was his student.

"Mom, it's not like that. She's, she's just someone I know," Michael answered, his tone of voice conveying how much he wished the situation was different.

"Will I meet her Michael?" Amélie asked again. Although her son had been slightly forthcoming about the woman in his life, there was something else he was holding back; something big.

"It's a little more complicated than that," Michael answered honestly.

"It always is Michael," she replied.

Mother and son sat in silence for a few more minutes before Michael opened up a little more. "You'll meet her, her parents, her friends, and even her daughter at Matty's and Abby's joint 3rd birthday party in a few days."

Amélie sat in silence for a few seconds after the latest revelation about the mystery woman. Having a daughter made a big difference to the situation, but at the same time, she knew he hadn't told her everything. She'd find out soon enough.


	21. Chapter 20: Shopping

Part Twenty:

Francie pushed the shopping cart down aisle four, the trolley was already filled with an assortment of chips, dips, and decorations. "Ok, what's next on the list?" She asked Sydney as they giggled over Abby, who was swinging her hips to the beat of the music in the supermarket.

"We just need garbage bags from this aisle," Sydney replied with a smile as she checked the item off the list.

"Any particular brand?" Francie asked, glancing at Sydney before letting her eyes fall to her niece who, it seemed, was fascinated with the toilet paper pyramid at the end of the aisle.

"I'll grab them in a sec. Although my daughter hasn't moved yet, she's about to bolt for the toilet paper," Sydney answered before holding her checklist and pen out to Francie to hold.

"No, no, you grab the garbage bags and I'll grab the little one," Francie suggested before turning back to see Abby had just taken off down the aisle. "Crap," Francie mumbled before bolting after her.

Sydney smiled in gratitude to her best friend, although Francie didn't see it in time. Only Will and Francie would come from L.A. on their holiday, right before exams, to help put together a birthday party for their best friend's daughter. Francie and Will had been constant in her life since middle school. Although only uniting as a trio in sixth grade, they still had their fair share of fun. Destroying the Bristow's foyer and lounge seven years ago had been the result of a misguided effort to create a successful in-house campfire. Sydney, Jack, and Laura all spent the next three weeks in a hotel. Similar instances always occurred when the trio were together.

Eventually, their trio became a quartet when a British boy entered their group the year following the campfire incident. No one thought he'd end up the 'father' of Sydney's child two years later. But looking back, Francie and Will had been the ones to see Sydney through everything. They were there for Abby's birth, her first steps, and even her first word. They were there for Abby's first and second birthday, and they took time out of their lives to take a bus trip for Abby's third birthday. Sydney had wanted Abby to be christened when she was a few months old, but her hoping that Francie and Will could be her Godparents wasn't well-received at the time by the church, and so Sydney had held off on having Abby christened.

Although they hadn't spent much time together yet, Sydney already felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Her parents and her friends were in close proximity to offer their assistance for the next week. Although Sydney considered getting pregnant at such a young age to be reckless and a mistake, actually making the decision to have and keep Abby wasn't a mistake. Every time she looked at her daughter, she saw her greatest achievement in life, and she could only hope that if she was as good a parent as her own were, Abby would turn out to be a remarkable human being.

Mentally shaking her head, Sydney allowed herself to get back to the shopping and locating the garbage bags she needed.

Squatting down, she began to look over the different boxes carefully, looking for the same box design she'd seen in the cupboard under the sink at home. Her hand reached out and picked up a box. She brought it to her face to read the features, but before she could even read how many bags were in the box, she found herself being bowled over by a small body she first thought to be Abby.

"DIS-NEY!" A voice called out from above her.

Sydney slowly opened her eyes to be met with the sight of little Matty sprawled on top of her. "Matty?" Sydney asked as she snaked an arm around Matty's waist to support him as she pulled herself up off the floor. Spying the dropped box of garbage bags on the floor, she quickly bent down to pick it up, her right arm holding Matty tightly to her hip. She threw the box into the trolley behind them before brushing some loose strands of hair behind her left ear.

"You shoppin?" Matty asked as he began to play with Sydney's hair from his place on her right hip.

Before Sydney could answer him, Francie made her presence known. "So I leave you alone to get garbage bags for like thirty seconds to come back and find out you've had a son?" France joked as she held Abby on her own hip.

"Francie!" Sydney exclaimed. She'd momentarily forgotten where she was and whom she was with. "This is Matthew," Sydney motioned with her head to the boy she held in her arms.

"Matd!" Abby exclaimed with a big grin and a wave.

In turn, Matty blushed and buried his head in the crook of Sydney's neck.

"This is Matty?" Francie asked with a smile as she slowly stepped forward towards the pair.

"**MATTHEW ALEXANDER VAUGHN!**" A male voice yelled out from the end of the aisle.

Sydney spun around as she recognised the owner's voice. _'Shit.'_ She swore to herself. She hadn't meant for Francie to meet Mr. Vaughn this way. She'd wanted to reveal Matty's parentage herself, to at least _prepare_ Francie. Sydney watched as Mr. Vaughn jogged his way down the aisle towards them.

'_Vaughn?'_ Francie mouthed to Sydney as she watched her friend's expression turn from nervousness to her 'Oh Crap!' face.

And for Francie, it all clicked into place.

Michael, Amélie, and Matty were wandering down aisle eight in the nearby supermarket, picking up food for the next week.

"So, she has a daughter that's turning three?" Amélie asked, picking up two bags of pasta.

Michael rolled his eyes as he turned his head away from his mother's form to his son sitting in the trolley in front of him.

"Don't roll your eyes Michael. I always know when you're doing it," Amélie admonished with a grin.

"Sorry," Michael grumbled.

"So, you haven't told me her name yet," Amélie prodded gently while inspecting some herbs on the herb rack.

"Why are we back to this again Mom?" Michael asked, letting his head fall forward, his chin resting on his chest.

"Because you won't give up the goods," Amélie replied, picking out a few herbs and spices and placing them carefully into the cart.

"Her name is Sydney," Michael relented. He began to push the cart down the aisle slowly, his mother picking items off the shelves as she listened attentively. "She has straight brown hair, but, it's different shades of brown. Mainly light brown, but with natural streaks of darker and lighter browns. Her eyes, they're beautiful. They match her hair. They're a light shade of brown and have flecks of dark brown in them. I bet though, if she wears green, her eyes will have a tinge of green. Her nose is cute and small, Abby definitely got her nose from Syd. She's got these dimples when she smiles, they're so deep. You put Abby beside her and you know with your entire being that Abby is her daughter. Her giggles, you just know that Syd giggled like that when she was Abby's age," Michael smiled as he described both Sydney and Abby as if he were seeing them in front of him. Looking down at his son who held his arms up in the air, a sign he wanted to be picked up and placed on the floor. Michael stopped the cart and pulled Matty out of the seat, letting him down onto the floor. He watched Matty adapt to the new height before turning continuing, "You should see her with Abby. God, she's, I can't think of just one word to describe how she is with Matty, let alone her daughter. Sometimes," Michael paused briefly as he took a deep breath, "Sometimes I wish Matty's mom had been as devoted to him as Syd is to Abby."

Amélie had been falsely perusing the shelves looking at all the different packages of instant noodle brands and flavours as she let her son continue talking.

Amélie listened closely to every word that came out of her son's mouth. Her son was in love. And not just with Sydney. Amélie knew Michael had some form of affection for Abby, and if she was honest with herself, she was a little worried. It was one thing for her son to become attached and have feelings for a woman, but when he felt affection for this woman's daughter, she knew that if this woman, this Sydney, wasn't really how her son made her out to be, with this knowledge, Sydney could destroy not only Michael, but her grandson. **That** she definitely wouldn't let happen. But first, Amélie put aside her feelings and addressed her son's.

"You're in love with her," Amélie stated with ease. She placed a packet of noodles back on the shelf and turned back to face her son.

Michael's hands paused briefly as he was fixing Matty's overalls. A light pink tinge settled on his cheeks, his green eyes unable to meet hers. "That's ridiculous," he replied. Finishing up with Matty, he stood up and faced his mother. "I'm not in love with anybody."

"If that's what you think, then ok," Amélie replied, holding her hands up in mock surrender.

"Thank you," Michael said, turning back to the trolley and pushing it forward.

"But, when the time comes and you're telling me that you're getting married to this 'Sydney', then I'm going to turn around and say 'I told you so'," Amélie said with a smile before joining Michael with the trolley.

They strolled down the aisle, both lost in their own thoughts. Michael spied Matty making his way down the aisle, eyeing the lower shelves. Spotting some tins of sauce on the bottom shelf, Matty began to unstack them, a grin on his face. Giggling as he watched three cans topple over, he jumped when he heard his father yell his name from the trolley. Looking up at his dad, he made a quick run for it, around the corner and past two aisles before reaching aisle five, where he began to waddle down.

"MATTHEW!" Michael yelled, running down to the cans on the floor. He spotted his mother making her way down the aisle towards him, the trolley wheels squeaked as she pushed it in front of her.

"Michael, you catch my grandson, I'll take care of this," Amélie offered smoothly as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Expelling a sigh of relief, he thanked his mother before running into aisle seven through a group of mothers and their children, trying to spot Matty. He rounded the corner into aisle six, which was even more crowded than aisle seven, and Michael, getting frustrated, rudely barrelled down a man, all the while yelling out for his son.

In the next aisle, Matty made a mad dash into aisle four, where, to his delight, he spotted Sydney crouching down on the floor. Forgetting his father, he ran as fast as he could, his arms outstretched and grabbing onto her as they fell to the floor.

Michael ran past aisle five after spying a lonely old woman picking up cat food, and stoped at the end of aisle four. There, in the arms of Sydney Bristow, was his son.

"**MATTHEW ALEXANDER VAUGHN!**" Michael bellowed out before running up the aisle towards the pair. Reaching the two of them, Sydney automatically handed Matty over to him.

"Mr. Vaughn! Hi!" Sydney said nervously before pulling her hair back behind her ears in a nervous fashion. She followed the hair movement by shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

"Syd! Hi, sorry about this. Matty decided to give the staff something to do by unstacking the shelves, before I could stop him, he ran off," Michael explained while holding his son to his chest.

"That's ok," Sydney replied, a very noticeable blush creeping up her cheeks. She averted her eye in Francie's direction briefly.

"Vawn!" A little voice called out from Francie's arms, her little hand waved at Michael in greeting.

"Hi Abby," Michael greeted her with his own wave.

Awkwardness settled over the group in aisle four before Francie broke it. Reaching a hand out to shake the newcomer's, she introduced herself, "I'm Francie, a friend of Sydney's. You must be Mr. Vaughn, the new English teacher. I've heard a lot about you."

Shaking Francie's hand, Michael smiled a little nervously as this Francie girl knew who he was, but he didn't know who she was. "All good things I hope."

"Oh, great things!" Francie replied with a grin and a wink.

Michael's cheeks began to match the colour of Sydney's face.

Awkwardness settled over the group once again. Eyes travelled around, Francie's watched Sydney and Michael as they tried not to catch each other's gazes.

"Michael, there you are," Amélie interrupted from the end of the aisle. Pushing the cart with great difficulty, she slowly made her way up to the group.

"Sorry Mom. Um, this is _Sydney_, Abby and that's her friend Francie," Michael introduced the unknown faces to his mother. He made particular emphasis on Sydney's name and Amélie felt like rolling her own eyes, as if she didn't know whom this girl was.

"Sydney, it's nice to finally put a face to the name. Michael has told me a lot about you," Amélie began as she walked out from behind the cart to engulf the girl in a hug.

Sydney returned the hug with a nervous smile before addressing Mr Vaughn again, "I've just about made my way through the first lot of essay preparation questions. And I've been working on the recurring themes essay as well."

Michael coughed uncomfortably before smiling slightly at Sydney, "That's great. Um, I hope that you're not devoting all your time to studying though."

Amélie raised an eyebrow as she watched the exchange. Sydney, it seems, was Michael's student. And _that_ was what made this whole situation more interesting.

"Mommy?" Abby called out from Francie's arms.

Sydney took Abby into her arms where she let Abby rest her head in the crook of her neck. She addressed Mr. Vaughn after adjusting Abby, "Well, Francie, and our other best friend Will, have come up to help prepare for the party. So, I'm going to have a little more time do some work."

"Oh, that's right dear, Michael told me about that. Is there anything I can bring? I can make something French if you'd like," Amélie offered with a gentle smile.

"I think Mrs. Bristow has most of the food covered," Francie chimed in with a giggle.

Sydney smiled at her friend. Sydney offered Mr. Vaughn and his mother an explanation, "My mom, she kinda gets carried away with all of this. Most of the time I start out the planning, she tends to take over and finishes it off."

Silence reined over the group.

"Well, when you have the time, let me know how much I owe you for the decorations I can see you're buying," Michael offered with a smile.

"Sure," Sydney replied with a nod as her eyes locked with his.

Francie watched them for a few second before interrupting, "So, they're probably waiting for us at home. We better finish up here before Will bombards us with one of his 'Women and Shopping' theories."

"Absolutely. We won't keep you from your shopping any longer," Amélie replied before giving her son a slight nudge to make him move.

Michael looked down at his mother before realising where he was, "Right! Yes, you have a fun time shopping and I'll contact you soon about the party on Wednesday."

"Ok," Sydney answered shyly.

Francie and Sydney watched as Mr. Vaughn carried his son and his mother pushed the trolley down the aisle.

Francie turned to Sydney. "We need to talk."

Amélie, Michael, and Matty made it back down aisle eight before Amélie turned to her son. "We need to talk."


	22. Chapter 21: The Talk

Part Twenty-One:

_Francie turned to Sydney. "We need to talk."_

_Amélie, Michael, and Matty made it back down aisle eight before Amélie turned to her son. "We need to talk."_

Sydney sat on the end of her bed as she watched Francie pace around the room; past the crib, to the wardrobe, past the door, and the desk, to the bed where she would make her way back to the crib and repeat the route all over again. Sydney had counted that she was already on her eleventh lap.

"Sydney," Francie breathed out as she made an abrupt halt near the end of the bed. "He's your teacher."

"Really? I didn't realise that. I was wondering what he was doing standing at the front of my English class day after day," Sydney replied sarcastically before letting herself flop back on her bed.

Francie shot her friend a 'Well duh?!' look before beginning her pacing again. This time though, her pacing was accompanied by speech. "You told me he had a son, but you didn't tell me it was that kid in the supermarket! My God! You're practically having an affair with him!" Francie began to rant. Sydney watched carefully from her place on her bed. She spied Francie's cheeks turn a shade of red as she became more and more frantic about the situation.

"You leave LA, for stupid reasons, to only end up here, here in _Ventura_. Only to end up in a sordid affair with your gorgeous, drool-worthy English teacher who happens to have a son! I mean, certainly, if I had as cute an English teacher, and Will wasn't around, I think I'd definitely have fantasies, but you're really doing this Syd. Although the ramifications could be costly, the sex, it'd be so hot. I did [b]not[/b] just say that… Ok, I did, and I admit, I want details when it happens… Wait, it hasn't happened yet, right? Either way, I'm feeling many emotions right now. You're in really deep Sydney," Francie ended her ranting before flopping down on her back next to Sydney.

Silence permeated the room for a few seconds. Sydney broke the stillness with a turn of the head and a calmly spoken question, "Finished?"

Francie glanced at her friend, "Yeah." The lingering red tinge on Francie's cheeks caused Sydney to suspect that, perhaps, it was from embarrassment more than frustration now.

"Fran?" Sydney paused, "There is no relationship and you know why I left."

Sighing, Francie nodded in agreement. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she mentally tried to find the right words to express the thoughts and feeling raging through her. "It's just… when you left… do you know how hard that was? Not just for you, but for Will and me? Our best friend was leaving, taking with her our second home, our niece. Even the house you used to live in, all the memories from that house aren't encased in those walls anymore. I don't blame you. I understand why you had to leave. I just wish you hadn't felt like you had to." A tear escaped Francie's eye before she could wipe it away.

"Fran -" Sydney began, although quickly interrupted.

"No, just let me get this out," Francie said, her voice beginning to waiver. "After you left… I had no idea what to do with myself. Every day after school we'd walk to your place and do our homework while entertaining Abby, changing her, and bathing her. On the first few afternoons after you left, I found myself walking the route to your place. I even found myself at your old front door once. The entire walk over, I'd been having a conversation with you in my head and I didn't even realise you weren't walking beside me the entire time. It's taken a whole lot of getting used to you not being around. Every time I have a piece of gossip I overheard in the P.E. locker room, or from walking past the teacher's lounge, I still have the urge to find you and tell you all about it. And then in that moment when I realise you're not there, it feels like someone ripped my heart out and stomped on it."

Sydney allowed her own tears to fall from the corners of her eyes to land in her hair. Turning her head to face Francie again, she fought back against the reaction to break down as she watched her friend fall apart beside her. Reaching out, Sydney pulled Francie into a strong and all-encompassing hug. After a few minutes of falling tears and emotions running, Sydney addressed Francie's feelings, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Francie let out a short laugh. She pulled away from the hug, avoiding Sydney's gaze by watching as her hands fiddled with a loose thread on her t-shirt. "I didn't want to bother you with it."

"Fran that's-"

"Stupid, I know," Francie finished for Sydney.

"Well, actually, I was gonna say that it was really sweet of you, but if you're really that upset, I want to know. You're still my best friend, and you will always be my best friend," Sydney replied with a smile before wiping away a few tears that had fallen.

"Sorry," Francie apologised, her expression one of embarrassment.

"You don't ever have to apologise for your feelings," Sydney replied reassuringly.

The pair smiled at each other. Taking a few deep breaths, Sydney began to move off the bed to grab the tissue box on her desk.

"You're a great mom to Abby. She's the luckiest kid in the world you know," Francie revealed.

Sydney faltered in her step at Francie's words. Was she really a great mother? How could she be at 17? She wasn't even legally an adult, how could she be a mother, or a great one at that? _'Abby is extremely unlucky to have a mother like me.'_ Brushing aside her own fears as a parent, Sydney grabbed the tissues and returned back to the bed.

A grin crossed Francie's face as Sydney joined her on the bed. "You know, we still haven't finished up with your 'hunk-of-a-teacher' discussion yet. And you can preach to the skies that you two aren't in a relationship, but I know. A best friend always knows."

"Great," Sydney replied sarcastically.

"You know, when you said she was just someone you knew, you could have at least told me the truth!" Amélie exclaimed harshly to her son.

"Mom, you're going to wake up Matty. Please, let's just talk about this later," Michael tried, without success, to stall the conversation.

Amélie narrowed her eyes at her son before pointing to the couch indicating for him to sit down. "We are going to talk about this right now."

Michael exhaled loudly before dropping heavily onto the couch. His movements told Amélie all she needed to know about the way this discussion would need to be handled. Taking a seat next to her son on the couch, she levelled the 'playing-field'.

"Michael," she started with a gentle voice, "I don't want you to feel like I'm attacking you, so please don't get angry or hurt at the questions I might ask."

Michael shook his head in a manner that Amélie assumed meant 'this is just ridiculous'. "How old is she?" _'Start with a small simple question, ease him in,'_ Amélie thought to herself.

Michael coughed before replying in an annoyed tone, "Somewhere between 17 and 19. I think." Michael shifted in his seat as an uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach.

'_Great.'_ Amélie thought to herself. "Ok, and she's a student of yours?"

A nod was all the answer she wanted to hear. "How long has the relationship been going on?" Amélie asked straightforwardly. Easing him into the discussion flew right out the window when it became obvious he doesn't even know how old she is.

"Mom!" Michael exclaimed with embarrassment and hurt. "The only relationship we have is a teacher-student one. And maybe a parent-to-parent one."

"Are you sure?" Amélie asked carefully.

Michael shot her a look, clearly telling her he was sure.

Amélie took a deep breath before placing a hand on his right knee. "Michael, please don't get angry with me." She breathed deeply before continuing, "Michael, you should have heard the way you spoke about her and her daughter in the middle of aisle eight. If anyone else had heard what I did, they would be thinking the same thing I am. That you're in love with her. Whether you want to admit it or not, you're in a relationship with her and it has nothing to do with being parents or academics. The sooner you realise this, the sooner you'll accept it," Amélie finished with a gentle squeeze of his knee.

Michael sat brooding for a few minutes before addressing his mother, "There is only one problem with your theory."

"What's that?"

"How can I be in love with her if I don't even _know_ her?" He asked, his gaze meeting hers.

Amélie waited a few seconds before answering, "Maybe you're in love with the _idea_ of her, and maybe that's what you should be **really** thinking about." And with all that said, Amélie vacated her seat on the couch and made her way into the kitchen to finish unpacking the groceries.

Dinner at the Bristow residence that evening was a joyous occasion. With friends reunited, stories flowed with laughter, and smiles followed. Sydney smiled at the picture her whole family made. She watched as Will played _Here Comes The Airplane_ with Abby, while her dad jokingly interrogated Francie on her future plans, and her mom prepared dessert a few feet away. Francie caught her eye briefly and the friends shared a knowing smile.

As Will helped Laura and Jack clear the kitchen, Sydney turned to Francie "Want to read to her tonight?" She asked with a smile.

Francie's eyes lit up in response and grinned before plucking Abby out of her high-chair and began to bid goodnight to the household. Sydney gave her daughter a kiss and a hug before letting Francie take her upstairs. She wished her parents goodnight and told Will to visit her room before he retired to his room.

As Sydney made her way towards her partially closed bedroom, she could hear Francie making pig noises and whooshing sounds and Sydney immediately knew the chosen book for this evening. _The Three Little Pigs_. Standing in the doorway, Sydney watched as her daughter pointed to a picture of a pig.

"Oink," Abby proclaimed with a grin.

"That's one of the piggies and he does go 'oink oink'," Francie replied with a smile. They were sitting on Sydney's bed, Francie's back supported by the wall at the head of the bed, and Abby in her Eeyore onesie in Francie's lap.

Sydney left them to finish the book as she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face before she would go back and change into her pyjamas. Making her way back into her room, she spotted Francie lying on her side of the bed, her head supported by her right hand as she watched Abby sleep in the middle of the bed.

"Thanks for doing that," Sydney whispered as she reached for her pyjamas beneath her pillow.

Francie just smiled in response. Sydney took this moment to quickly change and brush her hair. Gently, she lowered herself on her bed so as not to jar her daughter.

"She's grown so much," Francie whispered as she let her index finger trace over Abby's forehead.

"I know. I can't believe she'll already be three on Wednesday," Sydney reached out and ran her index finger over the bridge of Abby's nose when she saw her daughter's eyelids begin to flutter. Repeating the process a few times, she gently slowed it down until she was sure Abby was asleep again. "Did you ever think life would be like this when we were little?" Sydney asked Francie.

Francie sat quietly as she thought over an appropriate, but truthful answer. "Honestly? No. But Syd? Don't underestimate your worth or role in her life. Do you know how lucky she is to have _you_? One day, when she looks up at you with her beautiful brown eyes and you look into them, you'll see all you need to know about yourself."

Sydney wiped her eyes with the hem of her top. "When did you get so wise?" Sydney asked with a watery grin.

"Old age," Will replied from the doorway with a grin of his own.

"You little…" Francie whispered in a threatening tone.

Will quickly held up his hands in surrender. "I surrender," he hastily informed them. Sydney giggled softly.

"So, the little one's asleep?" He asked, approaching the bed.

"Yeah. Want to put her down?" Sydney offered.

Will nodded with a smile as he waited for Sydney to pick Abby up off the bed and hand her over to him. She followed them to the crib and helped him settle Abby on her back under the covers before pushing her toys away from her head.

"There," Sydney whispered, brushing a hand over her head.

"Thanks," Will whispered as he watched the exchange.

"You can read to her tomorrow night," Sydney said with a smile that told Will he didn't have a choice. He was reading to Abby tomorrow night.

"Thanks." Will replied in a good-natured, sarcastic tone.


	23. Chapter 22: PreBirthday Jitters

**Part Twenty-Two:**

Michael drew back the hockey stick and watched Eric ready himself up in front of the goal. Bringing down the stick with great force, he connected with the puck and pushed it up into the air. As he followed through with his swing, the puck sailed through the air in Eric's direction.

A brief look of surprise, followed by panic, flashed across Eric's face before he dropped to the ice, causing Michael to laugh out loud as the puck continued to sail above Eric's form to hit the netting inside the goal.

Michael's laughter reverberated throughout the empty ice rink as he watched Eric slide his body along the ice to free himself from the goal and the netting. Eric pulled himself up and looked over to Michael, who had stopped laughing, but was now sporting a grin. Shaking his head, Eric began to make his way over to the benches.

Grin still in place, Michael skated over to the goal and retrieved the puck before heading to the benches.

"You gonna make it on Wednesday?" Eric asked after sitting down and taking a few large gulps of water from his bottle.

"Can't," Michael answered while taking a seat on the bench and began to unlace his skates.

Eric's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why not?" He asked before pulling his goalie gear off piece by piece.

Michael swallowed before answering, "Matty's birthday party is at twelve o'clock. I'd rather be around for the whole day." Keeping his face turned away from Eric, he managed to avoid the accusing look of his friend. He was unfortunate, though, that he wasn't wearing earplugs.

"You didn't tell me the little tyke's birthday was Wednesday!" Eric accused with a slight smile.

"That's because it's not on Wednesday, it's already passed. But I didn't get to throw him a party, you know, with work and stuff," Michael replied vaguely, his head still turned away from Eric.

"So why now?" Eric asked while leaning forward and resting his forearms on his thighs.

Michael coughed and cleared his throat to buy himself some time to think up a response that didn't reveal all the details. "Well, for one, my Mom is in town."

Eric mulled over his answer, "Ok, I get that, but why didn't I get an invite? Aren't I his Uncle Eric?"

Michael grinned for a few seconds. "Well, the other reason is that it's not at my house, nor is it just for Matty. A friend he made at the park, Abby, she's turning three on Wednesday and when her mother found out that Matty hadn't celebrated his birthday yet, she asked if I would mind having it with Abby. Of course I said I didn't mind," Michael explained.

Eric mulled it over in his head. "Hmm… well can I come anyway? Dude, I'll get him the coolest present," Eric replied with an excited grin.

Michael looked at his friend sporting a grin and repeatedly moving his eyebrows up and down. "Sure," Michael agreed, knowing that now he had to tell Sydney about the new guest.

Michael walked up the pathway to the Bristow's front door. He noticed there were no cars in the driveway, but that didn't mean that no one was home. Stopping in front of the door, he looked down at Matty, who in turn met Michael's gaze. Inhaling carefully, Michael pushed the button of the doorbell situated next to the door.

He heard it ring inside the house and the shuffle of feet could be heard following it. Michael began to get a little nervous again. Although he'd already been in the house before, had dinner with the family, he still felt like he didn't belong. And if he was honest with himself, the thought of conversing with Sydney off school grounds scared him.

Before he could think on it anymore, the front door swung open and Sydney smiled softly up at Michael.

"Mr. Vaughn, hi," Sydney welcomed with nervousness and apprehension beginning to course through her veins.

Michael shuffled his feet slightly, "Sorry, I hope I didn't come over at a bad time. I just wanted to know if we could talk."

Matty let go of his father's hand and took a few small steps forward. He tugged on the edge of Sydney's skirt to grab her attention. Looking down at Matty, her smile grew and she knelt down to be eye-to-eye with Matty.

"Hi," Matty said before blushing.

"Hi," Sydney replied with a grin. Holding out her hand to Matty, he put his hand in hers. "Do you want to come in?" She asked.

Michael was watching his son interact with Sydney and his mother's words filled his mind. _"Maybe you're in love with the __**idea**__ of her…"_. Yes, Sydney was a good mother from what he'd seen, but was it really only that maternal side of her that he was attracted to?

**Attracted: **_To arouse or compel the interest, admiration, or attention of._

Although Michael knew the dictionary meaning for the term 'attracted', he hadn't yet given the meaning any thought in relation to Sydney and himself.

Looking down at his son, he let his eyes drift to the womanly form of Sydney kneeling down in front of Matty. Upon closer inspection, he found himself studying her features, her form, and noting his varying reactions.

His green eyes roamed over her face, her simple beauty that showed obvious youthfulness, but lacked the usual naivety seen in many teens. Her slender neck accentuated her posture, hinting to Michael she'd done some type of dance as a young girl. At the base of her neck, his eyes took in the meeting of her collarbone with the base of her neck; an area on a woman's body that Michael had found was rather enticing. His eyes lingered on her pulse point at the base of her neck as a vision of his tongue pressing against her skin in that same spot assaulted his mind. Mentally shaking his head, he let his eyes drop to take in the fact that she was wearing a low, v-neck tank top that offered anyone in his position a great amount of cleavage to stare upon.

Clearing his throat, he shifted his eyes back to her face to be met with the light brown of her own. Fighting a blush, he realised he'd been so distracted that he'd missed her question. "Sorry? What did you ask?"

Sydney stood up, Matty's hand securely in hers. Her cheeks were a shade of pink now and he hoped she hadn't felt his gaze upon her or caught him checking her out. "I asked whether you were coming in or not."

"Oh, yeah," Michael answered as he took a step forward to follow her inside. "You know, we're not at school, you can call me Michael," he said with a smile.

Sydney's pink cheeks were now turning a shade of red. "Ok, _Michael_," she replied, testing his first name on her lips.

They made their way down the hallway towards the kitchen where, upon entering, they were met with the sight of Will and Francie chasing Abby around the table.

"Mommy!" Abby screamed before giggling as she ran to her mother's legs.

"No fair!" Will said as he stood up properly. It was then he noticed Michael and Matty. "Oh. Hi. Will Tippin," Will said, introducing himself while holding a hand out.

"Michael. And this little one is Matty," Michael replied, giving Will a firm handshake before motioning down to Matty who was now hiding his head in Michael's legs.

Francie shot Sydney a look of warning while Sydney replied with a look of fake ignorance. Sydney turned to Matty and knelt down again while pulling Abby close to her chest. "Hey Matty, don't you want to play with Abby?" Sydney asked him in a gentle voice with a smile.

Matty let one eye peak out to look at Sydney and Abby, who were smiling at him, to the two people standing behind them.

Noticing where his gaze had gone, Sydney began to make introductions. She held out her hand for Matty to take. Slowly, he took her hand and she was able to pull him away from Michael's leg and hold him to her while she introduced Will and Francie.

"That's Will, and that's Francie, and they're mine and Abby's friends. They really want to play with you and Abby. Is that ok?" Sydney spoke to Matty in a reassuring and gentle tone, allowing him to think he was making the decisions, although he hadn't realised she'd made them for him.

Nodding his head slowly, he let Sydney put his hand in Abby's and led the pair over to Francie and Will.

Looking up at Francie, they shared a meaningful look, which to Sydney meant they were going to have a talk later. "Can you watch them for a few minutes?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah, sure," Will answered, taking Abby's hand in his. "Ok guys, let's go outside and leave mommy and daddy to talk." Michael, Sydney, Francie, and Will all froze. Looking a little sheepish, Will quickly led the kids out the back.

As Francie filed out behind them, she closed the screen door leading to the backyard and shot Sydney yet another knowing look.

Once Sydney was sure they'd all gone and she was alone with Mr. Vaughn, she turned to face him before gesturing to one of the chairs at the table.

"Thanks," Michael said before pulling a chair out for himself, Sydney doing the same beside him.

They situated themselves at the table and sat in an awkward silence for a few seconds. "So, you said you needed to talk?" Sydney asked.

'_Oh. Right. Talk… Eric. That's why I'm here.'_ Michael thought to himself as he dropped back to reality. "Right. About Wednesday… um, I have a few people coming, but not many. Just, you know, my mum, who you met the other day. And I thought Becca, you know, Matty's nanny, and her girlfriend as well, and that was about it," Michael said to start the conversation.

"Oh! Right, well, it's only going to be my parents, Will, and Francie for Abbs, so it'll just be a quiet affair," Sydney replied. _'A quiet affair? Why don't I just invite him up to my bedroom right now?'_ Sydney thought to herself as she did a mental eye-roll at her choice of words. Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, her knee brushed up against Michael's jean-clad thigh. Freezing, she tried to it play off as if she hadn't noticed what she'd done.

Michael was fully aware, though, that Sydney had known she'd hit his leg, but to make things less awkward, he didn't acknowledge her touch. Although, if he was honest with himself for a second time that day, he'd know that the sensation of having her leg touch his, although brief, was welcome and slightly comforting. Clearing his throat to try and keep his mind on the conversation, he replied, "Good good. Um, there was something else, though. Well, see, a friend of mine was hoping to come as well, if that's ok. And before you say yes, I'm only asking because my friend is Eric Weiss, who you might know as Mr. Weiss at school," Michael held his breath, awaiting her reaction.

Sydney sat in silence for a few seconds. "Right." Although not an intelligent response, it was appropriate for the situation she found herself in. _'Why hadn't I thought about the friends he'd made with the staff? Does Mr. Weiss know about Abby? Did Mic – Mr. Vaughn tell him about me? It was just supposed to be a day for Matty and Abby.'_ Sydney had many questions running through her mind, but it wasn't until she thought of the kids that she realised the day wasn't about her. It was about the celebration of Abby and Matty. Surely she could put aside her insecurities for her daughter and Matty. "Well, the day isn't for me, it's for the kids. So if you've invited Mr. Weiss, that's fine by me," Sydney said with a small smile, her mind obviously concerned with other things.

Michael sensed Sydney was worried and wasn't entirely thrilled that he'd invited Eric. Guilt for not asking if she'd mind poured over him. "Syd, if you don't want him here, he doesn't have to come." By now, Sydney had started to pull her hair behind her ears in a nervous fashion.

Before Sydney could even process what he'd said, a high-pitched wail from the backyard was heard, followed by screaming and crying.

"Shit!" Sydney swore before leaping up and out of her seat and rushing out the back door to see Abby being unsuccessfully consoled by Francie.

Abby spotted her mother before anyone else and started calling for her, "Mommy! Want Mommy!"

Sydney took long strides over to her daughter and scooped her up out of Francie's arms. "What happened, huh?" She asked her daughter in a soft voice while cradling Abby's head in the crook of her neck. Repeatedly rubbing her hand up and down Abby's back, she soothed her daughter while looking to Francie and Will for an explanation.

"We're so sorry Sydney. We turned around for like a second and she fell off the swing," Francie said as she began to feel nervous at what Sydney's reaction might be. She'd entrusted them with her daughter and they went and let her get hurt.

Sydney nodded as she began to rock Abby from side to side. Abby's crying had already subsided to the occasional sob and Sydney just smiled softly at Francie. "Don't worry about it. She didn't break anything anyway. She's bound to fall over at least once a day," Sydney offered with a smile as she spotted a small form hiding behind a tree.

"Come on, let's go inside," Sydney offered as they all began to make the trek back inside the house.

Michael was the last one to walk inside the house. After rushing outside after Sydney, he watched from the background as Sydney soothed her daughter. Spying Matty hiding behind a tree, Michael's brow furrowed in confusion. Quietly, Michael made his way over to Matty to find him crying softly.

"What's wrong buddy?" Michael asked as he scooped his son into a big hug. "Are you ok?" Michael asked him.

Matty's tears continued to roll down his cheeks. Michael picked up Matty and held him to his chest as he caught Sydney suggesting they all head back inside. Taking his time, Michael waited until everyone had gone inside before he pulled Matty's head away from his neck to look him in the eye. "What's wrong Matty?"

With a quivering lip and a few more tears, he replied, "I push Yabby." And then a few more tears rolled down his cheeks before he buried his head back in Michael's neck.

Soothing his son, he reassured him it wasn't his fault. "It's ok Matty, Abby is fine. You're fine, and nobody is hurt. Let's go inside ok?" Michael reassured again before beginning the short walk to the house.

Stepping into the kitchen, Michael spotted Sydney sitting at the kitchen table in the seat he had been in earlier while Abby was happily giggling in Francie's arms near the fridge. Will was noticeably not around.

Sydney watched Mr. Vaughn and Matty from her seat. In the frenzy outside, she'd caught a glimpse of Matty behind one of the trees, but didn't say anything as she saw Mr. Vaughn walk over to him. Letting father and son have some quiet time, she led the others into the house and had been waiting for them to re-enter. From the way Mr. Vaughn was holding Matty, she deduced that Matty had been crying as well.

Noticing Sydney's look, he offered an explanation, "Matty's a little upset, he said he pushed Abby. But I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to hurt her… He was probably trying to help. You know kids," Michael said, a little embarrassed. And on cue, they heard some sniffling come from Michael's neck.

Jumping up out of her seat, she approached the pair and ducked her head down a little to try and catch Matty's eye. "Hey Little Man, Abby's not hurt… Look," Sydney said as she pointed to her daughter who was playing with the magnets on the fridge and giggling.

Matty let one eye look over to Abby. Snapping his gaze back to Sydney, he pulled away from Michael and reached out for Sydney. "Syd," He said, softly calling to her.

Sydney let her eyes meet with Mr. Vaughn's in a silent question. His response was to hand Matty over to her. Smiling, Sydney took Matty in her arms and held him to her chest. Matty proceeded to place his head into the crook of her neck. "Love you," he whispered before letting his eyes close.

Matty's innocent declaration caused many varying reactions. Francie's brow furrowed with worry at this revelation, Sydney blushed and felt her chest constrict as she admitted to herself that she was beginning to love Matty more than she'd first realised. And Will, who'd chosen that exact moment to enter the room, noticed for the first time the intimate closeness between Michael, Sydney, and Matty.

Michael's reaction had been far more different. He had been standing closer than the others, so he knew he hadn't mistaken the words coming out of his son's mouth. Feeling his chest constrict, he fought the tears he could feel prickling behind his eyes as he thought of his son and the mother he couldn't provide. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought he'd be able to give Matty a life full of love that would make up for not having a mother around. But this display of affection showed him, that even if he was the best father in the entire world, and loved his son to a greater extent than already, he still might not be enough for Matty. Turning away from the sight of Sydney, a mother, consoling his son, Michael realised he'd have to re-evaluate a lot of things in his life to take away some of the guilt he felt.


	24. Chapter 23: The Birth Day

**Part Twenty-Three:**

"Happy Birthday Baby," Sydney whispered to her daughter as she held Abby in her arms against her chest. "Hope you had fun."

Sydney put Abby down in her bed, pulling up the covers around her daughter. Switching the night-light on, Sydney kissed her daughter on the forehead. Setting the baby monitor on her daughter's bedside table, she left the door connecting her room to Abby's open.

Stepping over Will's sleeping form on her floor, she made her way to her bed and snuggled under the covers. Francie squeezed her arm briefly before they both drifted to sleep after an exhausting day.

**10 Hours Earlier:**

"Boon!" Abby squealed, pointing at the purple and blue balloons strung upon the hand railing in the backyard.

"That's right sweetie, blue and purple balloons," Francie cooed as she took her turn watching Abby while everyone else ran around getting everything prepared. "Do you know what today is?" Francie asked Abby as she held the girl close to her in her arms.

"My Burfday," Abby replied, giggling as the streamers connected to the balloons began to float in the wind.

"You're absolutely correct! You're three years old today. You're a big girl now," Francie said with a grin before beginning to take Abby inside to get her ready.

"Am big girl?" Abby asked with wonderment that Francie thought a three year old couldn't possibly possess.

Nodding a yes, Francie mumbled, "Definitely her mother's daughter."

As they made their way through the house, they caught Will and Jack carrying a table out to the backyard, Sydney following them carrying some folding chairs. "Hi Baby," she said with a smile as she passed them in the hallway.

"I'm just gonna give her a bath and change her," Francie explained as she stopped Sydney with a hand on her arm.

Sydney cast her gaze down before answering. "Fran, do you think I could do that? I just really want to do that for her today," Sydney asked a little nervously.

Francie looked at Sydney a moment before rolling her eyes, "Sydney, she's your daughter, take her. Spend some time with her before the others arrive," Francie said, handing Abby over after Sydney placed the folding chairs against the back of the couch.

"Thanks," Sydney offered her gratitude.

"Sydney, you don't have to ask. Now go," Francie said, picking up the chairs before beginning to make her way out the back. She stopped suddenly and called out to Sydney, "Don't go into the spare room. Will and I haven't finished wrapping Abby's present, so no peeking," Francie ordered.

Sydney shook her head as she continued to climb the stairs. "I'm rolling my eyes at you!" Sydney called out to Francie with a grin.

"Whatever!" Sydney heard in reply.

Walking down the hallway, Sydney made her way into her bedroom and put Abby down on the floor. Walking over to the wardrobe, she opened the doors and pulled out a new violet denim dress for Abby. The top looked like overalls and for underneath it, Sydney pulled out a white t-shirt with a purple star on it out of the top drawer in her dresser.

"What do you think Abbs?" Sydney asked her daughter as she held them up. "Thumbs up? Thumbs down?" Sydney asked, this time with hand motions.

"Mmm," Abby began, hand on her hip before grinning. "Tumb up!" Abby decided, the thumb on her right hand pointing down.

Sydney laughed with a grin before placing the items on the end of her bed along with purple sandals with butterflies on them. Deciding on a thin, white cotton v-neck tank top, she matched it with a pale pink skirt, reaching just above her knees. Pulling out the appropriate underwear and bra, she threw them on the bed with the rest of the clothes and got a diaper and singlet ready for Abby.

Turning around the room, she spied Abby in the wardrobe standing in Sydney's shoes, a wide grin on her face, her dimples as deep as ever. "Come on Abbs, let's go and get cleaned up. We'll play with mommy's clothes later," Sydney picked her daughter up in her arms, Abby's feet slipping easily out of Sydney's shoes. Making their way out of her room and across the hallway to the bathroom, Sydney closed and locked the door behind them.

"So she has no idea, right?" Laura asked as they began to set the chairs up outside.

"I don't think so. She hasn't been in that room since we arrived," Will commented before flopping down into one of the chairs.

"Well, I don't think she's even realised she hasn't been in there," Francie added in before unfolding another chair.

"As long as she has no idea what we've been up to these last four days, we'll be in the clear," Jack said with a hint of a smile.

"Good," Laura replied before venturing inside the house to check on the food.

Sydney held Abby against her chest as she lowered herself in the bathtub. Splashing the water, Abby giggled.

"Careful," Sydney said softly. Picking up a white washcloth from the side of the bath, Sydney dunked it into the bathtub before applying some baby soap to it. Foaming it in her hands, she gently began to run the cloth over Abby's skin.

"Momma sing," Abby demanded as she turned her head in Sydney's direction.

"Please," Sydney admonished softly.

"Pees?" Abby replied with a smile.

Smiling down at Abby, and continuing with the soft strokes over Abby's arms and back, Sydney began to sing softly to her. Humming the opening tune to _Over the Rainbow_, Sydney turned Abby around to face her so she could carefully wash her face, stomach, and legs.

In a soft voice, Sydney began the first verse, "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby…" as Sydney continued to sing softly to Abby, she carefully washed Abby's soft hair, and with a kiss on the tip of her nose, Abby was clean. Continuing to sing softly to her daughter, she washed her own body and face with a quicker pace.

Pausing in the song briefly, Sydney turned her watch over on the ledge and checked the time. She still had half-an-hour before they had to be ready. Combining _It's a Wonderful World_ with _Over the Rainbow_, she pulled Abby close to her and sunk low into the tub. Placing Abby on her stomach, her daughter's cheek rested beneath Sydney's chin allowing Sydney to run the washcloth over her small back in a soothing motion.

Ending the song, she just lay in the bath water as it slowly cooled down. Her eyes closed and Sydney let a few tears escape her eyes as she remembered this same day three years earlier.

_The searing pain was unbearable now and she knew in her gut that there was something seriously wrong._

"_It hurts too much… Please," Sydney begged, tear tracks visible on her pale skin._

"_It's supposed to dear," the nurse said in what she assumed was meant to be a reassuring tone._

_Crying out again in pain that she knew wasn't due to a contraction, she began crying again. "There's something wrong. I know it. Please…" she begged and pleaded, her voice growing hoarse and her sobs beginning to take over._

"_Can't you get a doctor, please?" Laura asked of the nurse._

_Sighing, the nurse nodded and left the room._

_Squeezing her daughter's hand tightly in her own, Laura pushed back the hair on her daughter's forehead. _

"_Mom, there's… the baby… there's something wrong," Sydney let the fear of the possibilities take over her. "Promise Mom, whatever happens… Abigail. Please?"_

"_Sydney, nothing is going to happen. It's ok honey," Laura said, her voice cracking as tears began to prickle behind her eyes. Even she, herself, knew there was something wrong. Her daughter was far too pale, and the pain that Sydney had described sounded nothing like a contraction._

"_No Mom… it's bad… please promise," Sydney begged, sobs taking over her tired and weak body._

_Tears began to roll down Laura's cheeks. "I promise Sydney. I promise," Laura replied in a tone that suggested she was trying hard not to break down right there._

"_Mom… don't leave me," Sydney begged as she felt another contraction and searing pain from her uterus._

_A female doctor pushed through the door, slipping some gloves on, the nurse trailing behind her. "Ok, let's have a look, shall we?" The doctor suggested as she sat on a stool and pulled herself forward. Lifting the sheets above Sydney's knees, a small pool of blood had begun to accumulate on the sheets between Sydney's legs. "Shit!"_

"_What? What's wrong?" Sydney asked, panic beginning to settle in. "Is the baby ok?" Her tears continued to trail down her cheeks. Lack of strength caused her to fall against the pillows as her chest heaved with a mixture of sobs and the fight to breathe._

"_We need to get this baby out. She's bleeding out," the doctor informed the nurse who started for the door to yell out for some help._

"_What's going on?" Laura asked, her tone demanding._

"_Mrs. Bristow, your daughter is bleeding out and we need to get her baby out of there. She - "_

"_What do you mean? What's going on?"_

"_Sydney is losing a lot of blood, it could be a ruptured placenta, or detachment of the umbilical chord, but either way, this baby needs to come out right now." The doctor began to pull the gurney out the door with the help of four other nurses._

"_Mom…" Sydney whispered before her eyes closed and she passed out._

"_Sydney! Sydney!" Laura yelled at her daughter, her hand holding tightly onto Sydney's limp one._

"_We have to do a Caesarean right now!"_

_And with that, Laura was pushed out of the way and no one saw Sydney, or the baby, for the next hour and a half._

"Syd?" A muffled voice called out from the other side of the bathroom door.

Forcing her out of her memories, she sat up in the bath. "Yeah?"

"It's a quarter to one," Francie replied.

"Oh! Thanks Francie. We'll be out in a second," Sydney replied as she quickly, but carefully, rose up out of the bathtub, Abby still held tightly to her chest. Reaching for a large towel on the rack, she wrapped it around herself and Abby as best she could.

Draining the bath, she quickly made her way back to her room to get them ready. Soon they were dried and dressed in fresh clothes and Sydney began to do Abby's hair. Piling a few curls on the top of Abby's head, she pulled them through a purple band a few times and let her hair stand up like a water fountain.

"Ok Abbs, party time," Sydney said with a smile before helping her daughter off her desk where she'd been doing her hair.

As they began the trek down the stairs, they heard the doorbell ring. Reaching the door, she picked Abby up and placed her on her hip before pulling the door open to reveal Mr. Vaughn holding Matty and Amélie standing beside him with a few presents in her hands.

"Hi. Come in, my parents are somewhere in the house," Sydney offered with a nervous smile. Stepping aside, she allowed them inside. Closing the door behind them, she began following them down the hallway into the kitchen to be met with the sight of a frantic Laura.

"Mom?" Sydney announced her presence.

Laura turned her head in her direction to see the new faces in her kitchen. "Oh! Is it already time?" She asked, checking the clock above the fridge.

"We're a little early. Sorry Mrs. Bristow," Michael apologised, shifting his feet.

"Laura Bristow I presume?" Amélie asked with a smile as she stepped forward to engulf Laura in a hug.

"I am indeed. You must be Michael's mother. It's nice to meet you," Laura said, pulling away from the hug, a genuine smile on her face.

"Hey Abby, look who's here," Sydney said to her daughter while pointing in Mr. Vaughn's direction.

"Von-Von," Abby replied with a dimpled grin.

Sydney blushed with embarrassment before smiling a little, "Yes Mr. Vaughn is here, but look who he's holding."

"Matd!" Abby squealed and clapped her hands together.

"Disney!" Matty exclaimed, as if only now realising who was standing in front of him.

"Hey Matty! Happy Birthday," Sydney said with a sweet smile before running her index finger down the bridge of Matty's nose.

Blushing, Matty buried his head in Michael's chest. "What do you say Matty?" Michael asked.

A mumbled 'thank you' was heard and Sydney's smile grew wider.

"Von-Von!" Abby exclaimed, the attention now on her as she held her arms out for him to take her.

With his own dimpled grin, Michael looked over at Abby. "Well hello there Abby, Happy Birthday," he offered with a smile.

"Von-Von!" She exclaimed, her brow furrowed in confusion as he didn't take her in his arms.

Sliding his gaze over to Sydney, he posed the only important question at that moment, "Switch?"

With a matching smile, she held out Abby and took Matty with one arm, before holding him securely to her chest.

"Hey Matty," Sydney whispered to the little boy.

"Hi," he replied with a blush. Burying his head in her neck again, he inhaled her scent and his body instantly relaxed against hers. "Love you," he mumbled against her skin.

The exchange between the quartet definitely didn't go unnoticed by Amélie and Laura who both shared a secret smile. Noticing each other's smiles, the pair discovered a newfound ally in each other.


End file.
